4'  :^" '^^i^p  y^-^.^^ 


"cti :^^'r^"-'\ -  i" 


CIHM 
Microfiche 
Series 
(iVIonographs) 


ICMH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographles) 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  micr  ^productions  historiques 


ii'^g^' :^^_'^-^AAo^i_}^i^        jy-     _  .'i^i^.iiT^--iiii!i^/^-&i^  ,--'^y^i  :    .r^=i:-W>^;:tfe-:^^'i^M-g;  HtrAjg;'^:.',/^- 


^^jg^M^^M^^s^mt^ 


Technical  and  Bibliogra  hie  Notes  /  Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best  original 
copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographically  unique,  which  may  alter  any  of 
the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming  are 
checked  below. 


0 


n 


D 


n 


Coloured  covers  / 
Couverture  de  couleur 


□    Covers  damaged  / 
Couverture  endommag6e 

□    Covers  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Couverture  restauree  et/ou  pelliculee 

I  Cover  title  missing  /  Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

I I    Coloured  maps  /  Cartes  geographiques  en  couleur 

□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)  / 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

71    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations  / 


i— I    Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material  / 
Relie  avec  d'autres  documents 

Only  edition  available  / 
Seule  edition  disponible 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion  along 
interior  margin  /  La  reliure  serree  peut  causer  de 
I'ombre  ou  de  la  distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge 
interieure. 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restorations  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have  been 
omitted  from  filming  /  Use  peut  que  certaines  pages 
blanches  ajoutees  lors  d'une  restauration 
apparaissent  dans  le  texte,  mais,  lorsque  cela  etait 
possible,  ces  pages  n'ont  pas  ete  filmees. 

Additional  comments  / 
Commentaires  supplementaires: 


L'mstitut  d  microfilme  le  meilleur  exemplaire  qu'il  lui  a 
et6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details  de  cet  exem- 
plaire qui  sont  peut-^tre  uniques  du  point  de  vue  bibli- 
ographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image  reproduite, 
ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modification  dans  la  m6tho- 
de  normale  de  filmage  sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 

Coloured  pages  /  Pages  de  couleur 

I I   Pages  damaged  /  Pages  endommagees 


D 


0 
D 
□ 


□ 


Pages  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pelliculees 


0    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed  / 
Pages  decolorees,  tachetees  ou  piquees 

1    Pages  detached  /  Pages  detachees 

y     Showthrough  /  Transparence 


Quality  of  print  varies  / 
Oualite  inegale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material  / 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata  slips, 
tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  totalement  ou 
partiellement  obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une 
pelure,  etc.,  ont  6te  filmees  a  nouveau  de  fa^on  a 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 

Opposing  pages  with  varying  colouration  or 
discolourations  are  filmed  twice  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  s'opposant  ayant  des 
colorations  variables  ou  des  decolorations  sont 
filmees  deux  fois  afin  d'obtenir  la  meilleure  image 
possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below  / 
Ce  docurrisr.t  sst  filrr.ft  sij  ) 


10x 

14x 

18x 

22x 

26x 

30x 

/ 
/ 

12x 


16x 


20x 


24x 


28x 


32x 


-:V>-\S 


m-^ 


^m^:^' 


mm 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 


L'exemplaire  film^  fut  reproduit  grace  d  la 
gAnArositA  da: 


National  Library  of  Canada 


Bibliotheque  nationale  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impree- 
sion,  or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TiruED"),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  *t*  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin.  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  ei 
de  la  nettetA  de  I'exemplaire  fi'm*.  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim*e  sont  filmAs  en  commencant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derni^re  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film*s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derni^re  image  de  chaque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ♦•  signifie  'A  SUIVRE".  le 
symbole  V  signifie   "FIN  ". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc..  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  etre 
filmAs  ^  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  etre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film^  i  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  i  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


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r.    TOE  .Wooir^o  Of  \W3TAR) A 


HEX  after  a  life  that  had  never 
lacked  variety  the  Ladj'  Wis- 
tarui  came  to  the  years  of  tran- 
quillity, she  was  wont  to  say, 
with  the  philosophy  that  follows 
dangerous  times :  "  No  one,  man 
or  maid,  ever  really  began  to 
live  before  the  time  to  which  the 
first  memory  reverts. " 

The  first  recollection  of  the 
Lady  Wistaria  goes  back  to  an 
earlier  childhood  than  that  of 
most  mortals.  This  she  a.s- 
cribed  to  its  terrible  and  awful 
import.  She  could  .scarcely  do 
more  than  move  with  the  uncer- 
tain direction  of  babyhood,  when 


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her  father,  ahvays  now  in  her  memory  as 
j^^aimt,  lean,  ha^^^ard,  tail,  had  taken  her  upon 
a  lnnL,r  journey.  They  had  travelled  partly  by 
kurumaya,  and,  towards  the  end,  on  foot. 
That  is,'  her  father  had  walked,  carrying  her 
on  hi(.,'h  in  his  arms. 

When  they  hiilted  at  Yedo  they  stood  amid 
a  vast  concourse  of  people,  who  remaincxl 
silent  and  resi)ectful  a^^ainst  the  background 
of  the  buildings,  while  in  the  centre  of  the 
road  marched  steadily  and  i)omi)ou.sly  a  great 
glittering  pageant. 

Wistaria  had  clapi)cd  her  hands  with  glee 
and  delight  at  the  mass  of  color,  the  glimmer 
of  .•^hielu  and  breastplate,  the  i)rancing,  snort- 
ing horses.  Hut  her  father  suddenly  had  raised 
an  enormous  hand  and  in  a  moment  had 
stopped  her  delight.  Wistaria  lapsed  into  an 
iicute  silence. 

Instantly  she  was  awakened  from  her  pain- 
ful apathy  by  her  father,  who  moved  her  high- 
er in  his  arms,  and  turned  her  head  slowly 
about  with  one  hand,  while  with  the  other  he 
iK.inted  to  a  shining  iMjr.sonage  reclining  in 
a  ixilaiupiin  borne  high  on  the  .shoulders  of 
ten  stoul-legized  attendants. 

"My  daughter,"  said  her  father's  hollow 
voice  in  ..er  ear,  "yonder  rides  the  man  who 
killed  your  mother.  It  is  through  his  crime 
that  you  are  orjihaned  and  have  no  mother 
to  care  for  you  and  lo\e  you.  Look  at  him 
well!      I  hush!      Do  not  weep  or  shake  with 


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fear,  but  turn  your  eyes  upon  him.  I.ook  at 
hun!  Look!  L(M)k!  Yonder  ri(k-s  your  moth- 
er's munk'rer.  Do  not  fortret  his  face  as  hm^ 
as  you  hve.  It  is  jour  dutv  to  remember 
it!" 

Whereupon  Wistaria,  who.  in  olx-dience 
to  her  father's  commands,  had  stared  with 
wide  eyes  fixedly  at  the  reclininf,^  nobk\  set 
up  a  most  extraonhnary  cry.  It  was  un- 
Hke  that  of  a  httle  child  —  a  wild,  wailinjr 
shriek,  so  weird  and  piteous  that  the  by- 
standers started  in  horror  and  fear.  The 
noble  raised  himself  lazily  on  his  ellx)w,  star- 
ing across  the  heads  of  all,  until  hi.s  eyes 
rested  upon  the  man  with  the  child  held  on 
high.  lie  fell  Ixick  with  an  uneasy  shrug 
of  the  shoulders. 

HThat  was  the  Lady  Wistaria's  oldest  mem- 
ory. There  were  others,  but  none  so  vivid  as 
this,  the  first  of  all.  Even  later,  when  she  had 
ceased  to  be  a  child,  she  had  been  unable  to 
pierce  the  mystery  of  her  father's  life,  or  in- 
deed her  own. 

One  half  of  her  earlier  years  had  been  spent 
in  a  small,  whitewashed  cottage,  built  on  the 
crest  of  a  little  wind-blown  hill,  far  enough  re- 
,    moved  from  the  dwellings  in  the  village  below 
\    to  Ix;  entirely  cut  off  from  them. 

There  was  a  touch  of  the  uncanny  and 
weird  about  the  little  village,  whose  slender 
streets,  ascending  and  descending,  zigzagging 
up   and   down,   disappeared   among   hillocks 


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and  bliifTs,  thuutrh  built  in  reality  in  the 
hollow  outskirts  of  a  lio\irishing  city  at  the 
fcxH  of  a  small  chain  of  mountains.  Though 
the  land  here  was  j^reen  ami  beautiful  at  all 
times  of  the  year,  there  came  no  one  from  the 
j^ireat  city  beyond  to  this  solitary  settlement, 
whose  inhabitants  Iwre  the  nnpress  of  toil, 
pain,  and  op])ression. 

Why  her  father,  who,  she  had  been  told, 
was  of  noble  blood,  resided  here  on  this  hill- 
top, isolated  even  from  the  strange  people 
who  dwelt  in  the  silent  village  Ixlow,  the 
Lady  Wistaria  had  never  learned.  When 
she  had  (lue.slioned  her  uncle  and  aunt,  she 
had  been  frigidly  informed  that  curiosity  and 
impiisitiveiiess  were  degrading  traits,  which 
a  maiden  should  strive  with  all  her  strength 
to  overcome.  Neither  did  she  ask  her  father, 
who,  taciturn  and  cold  during  her  brief  resi- 
dence each  year  in  his  houst-,  gave  her  no 
opyxtrtunity  for  winning  his  confidence.  His 
love  Wistaria  had  never  dreamed  of  jxjssess- 
ing. 

Xeverthekss,  whenever  she  went  to  her 
father's  house,  a  wistful  longing  and  ycarn- 
nig  for  him  pos.se.<!.sed  her  whole  lx?ing,  and 
when  she  departed  she  would  hide  her  face 
in  her  sleeve,  weejiing  silently,  not  knowing 
why  she  should  weep,  and  scarcely  conscious 
of  the  fact  that  she  v.ept  for  lack  of  her  fa- 
ther's love. 

hi  her  father's  house  there  were  no  servants, 


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no  maids,  no  .attendants — onlj'  one  weazened, 
blind,  and  infinitely  old  woman,  who  wept  |f 
tears  from  her  sightless  eyes  uixin  her  arrival, 
who  siing  and  crooned  to  her  at  night  in  a 
sobbing,  sighing  voice,  that  was  as  sweet  and 
pure  as  a  girl's. 

She  addressc<l  the  old  woman  as  "  Madame 
Mume,'  and  preserved  always  towards  her 
the  reserved  and  dignified  attitude  of  the 
mistress  to  the  maid.  Yet  her  father  ad- 
dressetl  her  as  "Mother."  Wi.staria  knew 
the  old  woman  was  not  his  mother,  and  she 
could  not  believe  she  was  even  akm  to  them; 
for  had  she  not  alwaj's  lx;en  taught  that  the 
family  from  which  she  was  descended  was 
one  of  the  oldest  and  noblest  in  Japan,  while 
old  Madame  Mume,  though  gentle  and  good, 
wore  the  garb  of  the  poor  heimin. 

The  other  half  of  her  childhootl  had  been 
spent  at  the  home  of  her  uncle.  Here  were 
countless  retainers  and  servants,  besides  a 
host  of  samurai,  petty  vassals,  soldiers,  peas- 
ants, and  citizens,  who  liv-d  upon  his  land 
and  owed  their  direct  allegiance  to  him. 

The  garden  walls  surrounding  her  uncle's 
palace  were  tall  and  of  massive  structure, 
built  of  solid  stone.  Its  gates  were  guarded 
by  handsome,  bold  samurai  clad  in  thick 
armor.  The  steel  uix>n  their  breasts  and 
shoulders  glistened  with  a  sinister  sheen, 
and  beneath  their  blazing  helmets  fierce  e^'es 
burned  out  their  unswervmg  allegiance  and    ^ 

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loy.'ilty  to  tluir  lord  and  their  scorn  and  dc- 
fiaiuc  of  all  his  iiitiiiics.  Their  coats,  all 
ciiihlazoncd  and  embroidered  with  >^olden 
dragons,  Ijore  two  crests,  that  of  the  Sho^fun 
lyesada,  and  that  of  the  iK)werful  Daiinio 
nnder  whom  tluy  served,  the  Lord  of  Catzu, 
uncle  of  the  Lady  Wistaria. 

Here  in  her  uncle's  palace  Wistaria  was 
watched  over,  cared  for,  nurtured,  and  refined. 
Lackeys  and  servants  were  alx)ut  her  on 
all  sides,  ready  to  sjirinu^  to  her  .service.  As 
a  clnld  she  had  attended  a  private  .sch(M)l, 
]<ept  hy  an  old  .samurai,  where  with  half  a 
(K)/cn  other  little  j^'irls  she  had  .sipiatted  on 
small,  padded  mats  Ixfore  writin)Lj-tal)les  hut 
twehe  inches  \ui:,\\,  and  liad  been  taught  the 
intricacies  of  the  lanj^nia^'e.  Two  j^'orj.jeously 
liveried  attendants  always  accoiiij)anied  her 
to  and  fn>m  the  school-hcnise,  carryinj.^  her 
Ixioks,  her  wrilini,'-lx)X,  her  kneeling-cushion, 
and  her  little  table. 

When  she  .^rew  older  she  attended  the  ele- 
mentary .'^cIkk)!.  After  she  had  left  thi.s,  a 
silert  woman  of  j)erfect  manners  and  ex- 
(piisite  ai)i)earance  had  come  to  her  uncle's 
palace  and  attached  herself  entirely  to  her. 
With  the  comiiiL,'  of  this  j^overness,  Wistaria 
ceased  to  ]iay  her  annual  visits  to  her  father's 
house.  He  himself  came  to  the  jjalace  in- 
stead, once  every  year.  I'jum  these  occa- 
sions Wistaria  was  brought  into  his  })resence. 
Ik'  would  i)ut   a  few  stern  (jucstions  to  her 

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concerning  Ik-t  knowlcdne  of  her  duty  to  her 
^    parents,    to    which    Wistaria    would    res|)ond 
with   ixprcssions  of   (ihal   submission   to   his 
will  in  all  thmi^s. 

IVoiii  iIr  governess,  Wistaria  learned  the 
elej^ancies  of  conversation  and  how  t(t  act  on 
nieetini;  ureat  personages  at  court.  She  had 
e\tn  iK'en  drilled  in  certain  graces  which 
should  not  fail  to  enchain  her  lover,  when 
he,  the  proi»er  one,  should  l)e  chosen  for  her. 

Now  that  sIk  had  reached  the  atje  of  fifteen 
years,  this  i^rfect  |)er.s m  had  departed  from 
the  palace  to  teach  maidens  of  younj^er  years. 
The  I^ady  Wistaria  had  arrived  at  an  a^c 
when  she  could  Ix'  said  to  have  Ixvn  graduated 
from  her  governess's  hands  as  comi>etent  to 
pa.ss  the  rest  of  her  life  without  further  in- 
struction, save  that  constant  restraint  exer- 
ts cised  over  her  l)y  her  aunt,  the  Lady  Evening 
Glory  of  Catzu. 


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lie  education  of  a  Japanese 
maid  is  not  alone  a  matter  of 
cultivating  tlie  nund ;  it  is  an 
actual  niouldin(T  of  her  whole 
character.  'Ihe  averapc  ^irl 
under  such  di.scij)line  succumbs 
to  the  hereditary  instinct  of 
imi)licit  obedience  to  her  dic- 
tators, and  becomes  like  unto 
their  conception  of  what  she 
should  be.  But  the  Lady  Wis- 
taria was  not  an  average 
^irl.  That  is  the  reason  her 
appearance  at  the  court  of 
the  Shogun  in  Yedo  created 
a  furore.  Her  fresh,  young 
beauty,  her  crrace  and  bcwitch- 


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iri!,'   charm,    were  a    rcvclati.in    to    the   jaded 
ttiiirt. 

The  Lady  Evening:,'  <;iory,  who  had  y.\Kut 
years  of  thought  and  preiiarauoii  for  this 
event,  had  warned  her  rejvatedly  that  iiikhi 
sui  h  an  ausjucious  occasion  she  was  to  tread 
across  the  vast  hall  witli  dnwiKast  eyes  and 
an  attitude  of  yraeeful  huiudity.  She  was 
on  no  account  to  looU  about  her.  Wlule 
all  eyes  nii;;ht  ^aze  u|K)n  her,  she  must  see 
no  (trie.  And  this  is  how  the  Lady  Wistaria 
carried  out  her  instructions. 

When  first  siie  beLjan  the  slow  jjarade  tow- 
ards the  Slioj^^uin's  throne,  my  lady's  head 
was  dro(j|)cd  m  the  correct  iK)se,  with  her 
eyes  modestly  downcast.  She  had  proceeded 
i)Ut  a  few  i)aces,  however,  wlun  she  was 
thrilled  hy  the  intuititm  that  the  sj)cctacle 
was  worthy  of  any  sacrifice  necessary  to  sec 
it.  Her  small  head  beuan  to  erect  itself. 
Her  eyes,  wide  oj)en,  with  one  j^Teat  sweep 
viewetl  the  sjjlendor  of  the  i)icturi — the  t,^race- 
ful  courtiers,  the  lovely  women  in  their  cos- 
tumes of  the  sun.  A  sharp  j-inch  ujKin  the 
arm  brouf,dit  her  back  to  the  exacting  presence 
of  the  Lady  IC veiling'  Glory  beside  her.  Down 
drooiK.(l  her  head  a^'ain.  (iraduallv  the  eye- 
lids fluttered.     My  lady  i)Ce[)t^d! 

There  was  a  low  murmur  throuj;hout  the 
hall.  The  waving,'  of  fans  ceased  a  ypace. 
The  Lady  Evenintj  Glory  recoLrnized  the 
sij^nificance   of   that   murmur,   and    then    the 

^ 1 y— J a-— - 


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THE*VOOji>iG  Of  ViSTARiA 

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hush  that  ensued.  A  trenieiulous  fhittenn^ 
pride  arose  in  her  'ocisoin.  Iler  e.\])erieiice 
of  lUiiny  years  assured  her  that  her  niece's 
beauty  was  coiiipelhnij  its  splenchd  tribute. 

Then  the  Lady  Wistaria  was  jiresenled  to 
the  Sliouun.  Her  i)rostration  was  made  with 
inimitable  uraee.  Her  Ijeauty  and  charm  call- 
ed forth  words  of  ])rai.se  from  the  Shoyun  him- 
self to  her  uncle. 

A  younu;  noble,  more  darinu;  and  ardent 
than  all  the  others,  separated  him.'^elf  from 
the  assembled  company,  and,  crossinti  to  where 
the  Lady  Wistaria  stoiKl,  kissed  a  hyacinth 
and  droi)i)ed  it  at  the  uirls  feet. 

The  Lady  I'^veninu;  (ilory  CDtdd  have  shriek- 
ed aloud  with  fury  at  the  action  of  her  niece, 
due  solely  to  her  innocence.  She  had  no 
thought  whence  it  had  come.  A  flower  in 
her  path  was  not  something  she  could  tread 
U]K)n,  or  even  pass  by.  There  in  the  centre 
of  the  ^ortreous  hall  she  stoo])ed  tenderly 
and  i)icked  up  the  pleadinu;  flower. 

"  Wild  M^irl!"  cried  lier  aunt,  in  a  sufTocating 
whis])er. 

Wistaria  started  with  a  little  cry  of  trenuine 
dismay.  She  had  forgotten  in  (»ne  moment 
the  instruction  of  years.  In  her  confusion 
.she  stoi)ix'd  short  in  her  i)roy:ress  across  the 
hall.  As  if  imi)elled  by  some  great  subtle 
force  within  her,  helplessly  the  Lady  Wistaria 
raised  her  eyes.  They  gazed  im?nediately 
into  the  deptlis  of  another  pair,  afire  with  an 


^ 


» 


10 


TOE.Voojr^o  o/?  ViSTARiA 


awakening'  passion.  The  next  moment  the 
youn-^r  ^rirl  had  bhished,  red  as  the  tints  a 
masterful  sun  throws  to  coquetting  clouds 
at  sunset. 

All  the  journey  through,  to  their  temix)rary 
palace  m  Vedo,  her  aunt  abu.sed  the  Lady 
Wistaria.  The  training  of  years  wasted! 
Ingratitude  was  the  ba.sest  of  crimes!  Was 
this  the  way  she  repaid  her  aunt's  labor  and 
kindness?  Well,  back  to  Catzu  they  should 
go.  It  would  be  un.safe  to  remain  longer  in 
the  capital.  Cerlanily  her  niece  had  much 
to  learn  before  she  could  continue  in  Vedo 
longer  than  a  day. 

The  Lady  Wistaria  sat  back  in  her  palan- 
quin, jHHiting.  What,  to  be  taken  from  tlie 
gay  capital  one  day  after  arriving — before  she 
had  had  the  chance  to  meet  or  even  sjxiak 
to  any  one!  Oh!  it  was  cruel,  and  she  the 
most  stupid  of  maidens  not  to  havecomixirted 
herself  correctly  at  her  presentation! 

"Dearest,  my  lady  auni,"  said  she,  "pray 
you,  do  let  us  contiiuie  in  the  capital  for  the 
season." 

"What!  and  be  laughed  at  by  the  whole 
court  for  our  shocking  and  magnificently 
bad  manners?  People  will  declare  that  you 
have  been  reared  in  the  fields  with  the  iK'as- 
ants."  * 

"Do  not,  I  beg,  blame  me  for  an  accident, 
dear,  my  honorable  aunt.  It  was  not,  iii 
tnith,  uiy  own  fault.'" 


IZ 


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"Indeed!" 

"Indeed,  I  do  assure  you  it  was  the  fault 
of  that  honorably  sillv  flower  " 

"TSIIH!" 

"And  of  that  niapnificcnt  and  augustly 
handsome  courtier  who  droj)ped  it." 

"Droi)ixd  it!  My  lady  niece,  I  saw  the 
impudent  fellow  throw  it  at  your  feet!" 

"What!  Vou  saw!  Oh,  my  aunt,  then 
it  IS  you  who  arc  jointly  guilty  with  me!" 

"What  is  that?"  cried  the  aunt.  ant,'rily. 

"  W  hy,  my  lad\-,  your  honorable  eves  were 
imj)roper  also." 

The  Lady  Evening  T.'ory  turned  an  offended 
shoulder. 

"  We  will  start  tf>morrow  for  home  " 

"Oh,  my  lady!" 

"I  have  s[)oken. " 

"Hut,  dear  aunt—" 

"Will  you  condescend  to  tell  me,  girl,  who 
is  truardian,  thou  or  1?" 

With  the  Lady  Evening  Glory,  "  thou"  was 
the  end  of  discussion 

The  following  day,  therefore,  the  returning 
cortc^ue  set  out  for  Catzu.  As  fortune  would 
have  It,  the  Lady  Evening  (llory  travelled 
in  her  own  train,  while  her  niece  had  also 
her  personal  retinue  about  her.  Consequently 
the  journey  was  joyous  for  the  Ladv  Wistaria. 

W  hen  first  the  corti^ge  l)egan  to  move  through 
the  city  a  stran^ie  little  procession  followed 
in  its  wake.     It  was  made  up  of  the  love- 


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TO£-VOO]i>iGof  ViSTARiA 


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sicU-  suitors,  who,  havintj  but  once  gazed 
uiK)n  the  beauty  of  the  Lady  Wistaria,  wished 
to  ser\  e  and  follow  her  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
The  following  was  quite  laritje  when  the  cortCjge 
started.  A  number  droj)))od  off  as  they  reached 
the  city  liuuts,  then  gradually  the  hojx^-less 
and  disappointed  swains  with  drooping  heads 
turned  back  to  Vedo,  there  to  dream  of  the 
vision  of  a  day,  but  to  dream  hopelessly. 

Wherever  the  Lady  Wistaria's  jx.'rsonal  train 
travel'{xl  there  lay  scattered  uix)n  the  ground, 
and  blivwing  in  the  air  above  and  about  her, 
tiny  I  ts  of  white  or  delicately  tinted  and 
I>erlu..;ed  paixT.  They  were,  alas!  the  love- 
letters  and  iK)ems  i)enned  by  the  ardent  lovers, 
which  the  hard-hearted  lady,  tearing  into 
infinitesimal  bits,  had  saucily  tossed  to  the 
winds.  It  was  thus  she  to.ssed  their  love 
from  her,  she  would  have  them  believe. 

Hopeless,  and  finally  indignant,  therefore, 
backward  turned  these  crstwliile  ho|)eful  suit- 
ors. 

Sir  Genji,  the  big  samurai,  who  had  especial 
charge  of  Wistaria's  train,  reported  to  her, 
with  a  smile  of  satisfaction,  that  she  wt)uld 
suffer  no  further  annoyance,  as  all  save  one 
of  her  suitors  had  finally  retreated. 

"Bring  closer  your  honorable  head,"  .said 
the  lady  to  Genji,  who  stnxle  beside  her  nori- 
moiio,  ever  and  anon  ordering  and.stokhng 
the  runners. 

He  brought  his  car  closer  to  the  girl's  lips. 


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She  leaned  over  and  whi.s{x;red,  while  a  pjde 
bj    pink  flush  came,  fled,  and  grew  and  deepened 
again  in  her  face. 

"Tell  me,"  said  she,  "which  of  the  honor- 
ably bold  and  silly  cavaliers  is  it  that  re- 
mains?" 

"  The  one,  my  lady,  who,  not  content  with 
despatching  his  love-letters  and  tokens  to  you 
by  underlings,  has  had  the  august  im{)erti- 
nence  to  deliver  them  himself  in  person." 

"  Vcs  —  yc-es  —  of  course, ' '  said  Wistaria, 
blu.shing  deliciously,  "and  that  was  honor- 
ablv  right.  Do  vou  not  think  so,  my  brave 
Genji?" 

"Perhaps,"  admitted  the  astute  samurai, 
frov>ning  at  the  same  time  u[Kin  a  i)<)rtion  of 
the  parade  belonging  to  the  Lady  b^vening 
Cllory.     Wistaria  laughed  with  infinite  relish. 

"Well,"  she  said,  "if  my  honorable  aunt 
or  august  uncle  were  to  learn  of  his  boldness, 
I  fear  me  they  would  command  that  the  cur- 
tains of  my  insignificant  norimon  be  drawn 
so  tightly  that  I  should  surely  sufl'ocate." 

"Fear  not,"  said  (lenji,"I  shall  take  im- 
mediate measures  to  ])revent  such  an  occur- 
rence, my  lady." 

Wistaria  ])<)uted,  and  frowned  as  heavily 
as  it  is  ]M>ssil)le  for  bright  eyes  and  rosy  lij)s 
to  do.  She  toyed  with  her  fan,  oix:ning  and 
closing  it  several  times. 

"  Vou  arc  honorably  over-zealous,  Sir  Gen- 
ii," she  said. 


3: 


3E: 

14 


rmMJOOit>^0  0/5  ViSTAR)A 


H 


1= 


"My  la(l\'/'  hu  replied,  "know  you  aught 
of  this  stranj^cr?" 

'lie  has  a  i)retty  j^'race,"  said  Wistaria, 
"  and  the  l)earinK'  of  one  of  noble  rank.  Have 
y<«u  not  noted,  Sir  (lenji,  the  beautj'  and 
ricliness  of  his  niatcnificent  attire?" 

"  I  have,  my  huly.  It  is  of  that  attire  I 
would  sjMjak. " 

"Do  so  at  once,  then." 

"it  is  tile  auire,  niv  kidv,  of  the  Mori  fam- 
ily" 

"  The  Mori !     What !     Our  honorably  hostile 
neiuhbors?'' 
T?        "ICxaclly,"  said  Genji. 

"Oh,  dear!"  nmrnuired  Wistaria,  as  she 
sank  back  in  her  cushions  in  troubled  thought. 
After  a  moment  her  little  black  head  again 
a[)])eared. 

"<len,"  she  cried,  "come  hither  once  more." 

"My  lady?" 

"A  little  closer,  if  you  plca.se.  So!  Know 
you  not.  Sir  (Jen,  that  my  lady  aunt,  and 
inde"d  al.so  my  own  august  father,  once 
served  this  txlious  Mori  jirince?" 

"I  have  heard  so,  my  lady." 

"Well,  then,  truly  all  of  the  members  of 
this  hon()ral)le  clan  cannot  be  augustly  bad!" 

Sir  (lenji  could  not  restrain  a  smile. 

"Indec>d,  my  lady,  this  Choshui  ix'ople 
have  many  worthy  and  admirable  (lualities." 

"Vou  are  a  very  clever  fellow,  my  dear 
Sir  den,"  said  Wistaria,  smiling  engagingly 


15 


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TOE  .>VOOij>iO  Of  Ns/iSTARJA 


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now,  "  and  I  shall  bespeak  you  to  my  honora- 
ble uncle.  An  '  now — now — if  you  would  real- 
ly wish  io  serve  ine,  do  you  pray  show  sonic 
kindness— some  little  insitjnifieant  courtesy 
to  this  unfortunate  Mori  courtier.  Perhaps 
he  may  have  some  gotxl  attributes." 

"  L'ndf)ubtcdly,  my  lad\-. " 

"And  do  be  careful  to  allow  my  lady  aunt 

>    know    nauuht    concerning;    him,    for    she, 

liavini;  come  from  this  .M(.ri,  is  actually  more 

sour  auainst  them   than   we,  you  and  I,  Sir 

Cicn,  who  have  not  indeed." 

Just  then  mv  lady  heard  a  familiar  tramp 
to  the  left  of  her  nonmono.  There  were  but 
few  horses  in  the  CDrtc^Lje,  and  most  of  thcin 
had  uone  ahead  with  her  father's  samurai. 
Consequently  the  beat  of  a  horse's  hoofs  was 
I)lainly  to  be  heard.  The  Lady  Wistaria 
wavered  between  lyint,^  back  in  her  carriage 
and  drawint;  about  her  di.screetly  the  curtains, 
or  s\{iu\i^  up  and  feigninji  indifference  to  the 
horseinan. 

The  rider  had  fallen  into  a  slow  trot  behind 
her  noriniono,  and  seemed  to  be  making  no 
effort  lither  to  overtake  or  ride  beside  her. 
For  the  space  of  a  few  minutes  the  I.ady  Wi.s- 
tana,  with  a  bri.uht,  expectant  red  spot  in 
either  cheek,  waited  for  some  sign  on  the 
part  of  th.'  rider.  His  stubborn  continuance 
in  the  background  at  first  thrillexl,  then  irri- 
tated, and  finally  distracted  her.  My  lady 
liut  her  .shining  little  head  out  of  the  vehicle. 


16 


X 


.  f>->v-=-l 


c=> 


^ 


then,  leaning  quite  far  out,  she  looked  back- 
ward. Instantly  the  rider  spurred  his  horse 
forward.  In  a  flash  his  hitherto  melancholy 
fact  became  luminous  with  hojc  A  moment 
later  he  was  beside  the  lady's  nonmono. 
Before  her  oOicious  maid  had  time  to  draw 
the  curtains  a  love-letter  had  fallen  into  my 
lady's  laj). 

It  was  possibly  the  fiftieth  ap[)ea)  he  had 
penned  to  her.  Hitherto  he  had  borne  the 
bitter  chagrin  of  seeing  the  torn  bits  of  pa{)er 
fall  from  a  little  hand  that  parted  the  silken 
curtains  of  her  gilded  norimono  and  scattered 
them  to  the  winds. 

The  lover  rode  within  sight  of  his  mistress's 
palanquin  until  the  first  gray  darkness  of 
approaching  night  crept  like  an  immense 
cloud  over  the  heavens,  chasing  away  the 
enchanting  rcsy  tints  that  the  departing  sun 
had  left  behind. 

Undaunted  by  the  fact  that  his  letter  re- 
ceived no  respon.sc,  encouraged  rather  by 
the  fact  that  it  had  not  shared  the  fate  of  its 
predeccs.sors,  the  lover  now  set  him.self  to  the 
task  of  comjxising  more  ardent  and  flowery 
ejiistles.  What  time  was  not  occupied  in 
eagerly  watching  for  the  smallest  glimpse  of 
the  little  head  to  appear  was  S[)ent  in  writing 
to  her.  He  wrote  his  love-letters  and  poems 
with  a  shaking  hand  even  while  his  horse 
carried  him  onward.  He  wrote  them  by 
the  light  of  the  moon  when  the  train  halted 


^ 


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J? 


f 


TOR.VOOjrsG  v^j^  Vi5TAR)A 


a; 


X 


for  the  nijfht.  lie  wrote  them  in  the  early 
(hiwn  before  the  cort^j^'e  had  awakened.  And 
lie  delivered  them  at  all  hours,  whenever  he 
could  o!)tiiin  oiiiM)rtunitv. 

Thout^h  the  Lady  Wistaria  by  this  time 
must  have  acciuired  a  j^ocKlly  quantity  of 
useless  literature,  she  took  no  measure  to 
relieve  herself  of  the  burdensome  ba^i^age. 
Xcvcrthcless  the  lover  bewail  to  desjjair.  A 
few  hf.iirs  before  they  reached  her  uncle's 
province  he  delivered  his  last  missive.  It 
was  really  a  very  desi)erate  letter.  At  the 
ris!;  of  his  life— so  he  wrote— he  would  follow 
her  not  only  to  her  uncle's  province  but  into 
the  very  ^.-rounds  surrounding.^  his  j)al:tce — 
into  the  palace  it.sdf  if  neces.^ary.  lie  be- 
sought her  tlr  t  she  would  send  him  one  small 
Word  of  fa\-or. 

He  waited  in  impatient  excitement  for  a 
resjKMi.se  to  this  last  fervid  apj>eal.  He  felt 
sure  she  must  at  least  deitrn  to  express  her 
wi.sh  in  the  matter.  Hut  when  they  ii'ached 
the  jnovince  he  saw  her  carried  acros.s  the 
borders  without  havincf  j^nven  him  one  .sij^n 
or  token. 

In  his  despair  l.c  dismounted,  and  was 
divided  I)etween  returninti  to  Vedo  or  con- 
tinuinu  his  hopeless  quest. 

As    he    remained    j)lunt:ed    in    his    ploomy 

reflections    and    uncertainty    of    purixKse,  an 

I     enormous  .s.-miurai  touched  him  .sharply  u]xm 

4,     the  arm.     In   his  irritation  he  was  about   to 

C=U T— 


^ 


:=X 


X 


^ 


rcsfiit  the  fillow'.s  faiiiiliarity,  when  he  f)cr- 
ccivcd  a  little  roll  i)f  ricc-paiKT  protruding 
from  his  sleeve.  Stealthily  the  samurai  reach- 
ed out  his  arm  to  the  lover.  The  latter  seized 
the  scroll  eagerly. 


#- 


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So  it  hapiKiicd  tliat  while  ihc  Lord  Catzu 
was  one  of  the  most  intitiiate  aiul  coiifuk'titial 
of  the  advisers  of  the  Sho^^'un,  his  nei^jhbor, 
the  old  Prinee  Mori,  Daimio  of  the  province 
of  Choshui,  desired  to  see  the  Mikado  once 
more,  the  real,  instead  of  the  nt)minal,  ruler 
of  Jajwin. 

Consefiuently  the  two  neif^hborint^  clans, 
while  displayini;  extravagant  courtesy  tow- 
ards each  other  in  public,  were  in  reality  un- 
friendly. Only  durint;  that  iM)rtion  of  the 
year  when  the  Sho^un's  edict  ordered  a  Vedo 
residence  for  all  daimios,  did  the  lords  of  the 
provinces  meet  one  anf)ther,  and  that  under 
the  Shojjun's  eyes  in  his  Vedo  seat  of  govern- 
ment. In  the  capital  they  simulated  suavity 
and  cordiality,  but  once  back  at  tluir  pro- 
vincial capitals  they  preserved  towards  each 
other  an  attitude  of  iK)lite  defiance  which 
made  all  intercourse  between  them  imjxjssiblc 
save  that  of  the  sw«)rd,  when  their  resix.'ctive 
samurai  and  vassals,  coming,'  in  contact  with 
one  another,  fought  out  their  lords'  political 
diflercnccs. 

Imbitterinc  still  more  the  feeling  existing 
naturally  between  the  Mori  and  Catzu  clans, 
there  was  a  personal  clement  in  the  situation.  ^ 
When  Catzu  had  first  been  made  lord  of  the 
province  he  had  met  on  a  visit  to  the  Shogiin's 
Yedo  court  the  Lady  Evening  C.lory,  whose 
brother  and  guardian  (she  being  an  orjjhan) 
was  a  young  samurai  in  the  service  of  the 


3 


21 


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4 


3: 


4 


I'niKc  Mori.     1.,       i^r  falkn  a   victim  to  the 
l.uly's  hcaiity  and   ihariiis,  the  lord  of  Catzu 
was  dctcriumul  to  lia\c  Ikt  for  wife  despite 
the    <iiiiM).sition    of    ilif    Mori    IViiiee      Hold, 
hrave,   fearless,   and    uiih   a   j^raiid   conteiiijd 
for  the  power  of  Ins  ri\al,  the  Lord  Cat/.u  had 
carried  olf  the  l.iir  lady   from  his  iieii^^hhor's 
<lomiiiions,    thon-li    it    was    ueiierally    iiiider- 
•stiMKl    lh.it    hoili    the    l.idy    herself    and    her 
samurai   hrother  lent   their  assistance   to   the 
yoiiiiLr   l"rd.     'i'he  yomiL:   saimirai.  incurrini,' 
Iherehy   the  deej)  displeasure  and   enmity   of 
liis   Trince,  was  deprivid  of  his  title  and  es- 
tates  and  sent  into  exile  u|m)ii  the  llrst  con- 
venient   j.retext.      Stran-e    tales    told    without 
shadow  of  aulh.ority  diversilied  the  nature  of 
the  crime  for  which  the  samurai  had  been  ex- 
iled, but  the  two  lords  remained   silent.      All 
who  had  been  concerned  in  the  affair  were  com- 
manded to  the  same  silence  by  the  Shouun. 

Whatever  were  the  many  reasons  resiM)nsi- 
ble  for  the  const  ml  attitude  of  anlaeorsin 
of  these  two  clans  towards  each  other,  ilie 
lords  carefully  t,r„ar(kd  their  lands  — more 
particularly  those  in  the  vicinity  of  their  j)al- 
aces— with  all  the  riyor  of  a  fortress  prepared 
for  the  fiercest  onslaijj,dit.  vSeemin^ly  un- 
ai)proachable  and  imi)enetral)lc  as  were  tlie 
grounds  of  the  Catzu  palace,  yet  there  must 
have  existed  at  some  s])ot  in  their  watchful 
walls  a  vulnerable  jioint,  the  heel  of  the  stone 
Achilles. 


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THE  .WOOjr^O  Of  ViSTARiA 

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A  courtuT,  l)y  his  dress  ami  demeanor  plain- 
ly a  ineiiiher  of  the  M<»ri  household,  Imj^ered 
in  ihe  private  ^lardeiis  of  the  palace.  Tlie 
day  had  loiiu  since  folded  ts  wmus  of  liLjht, 
hut  an  early  March  iiii>on  was  envelopint:  the 
laud  in  an  etliereal  ulow.  The  courtier  re- 
mained under  the  friendly  sliadow  of  a  urove 
of  iMiie-trccs.  Ills  eyes  were  cast  uihui  the 
st.itily  Calzu  slnro  (palace).  It  seemed  a;; 
tliuuuli  the  iiioon-rays  had  sineled  out  the 
uraceful  old  castle  and  was  bathing  it  ten- 
derly in  a  halo  of  soft  liyht. 

It  was  cold,  no*  bitterly  so,  but  shan)ly 
chill,  as  it  is  at  nii^ht  betwixt  the  winter  and 
the  .-priu','.  Hut  unconscious  of  the  chill, 
erect  and  trraceful,  the  courtier  leaned  against 
a  tree  trunk,  his  arms  crossed  over  his  breast, 
his  eyes  full  of  moist  sentiment,  (lrinkin).x  in 
the  bcautv  of  the  ni^ht  scene,  which  had  an 
added  enchantment  for  him,  a  man  in  love. 

All  about  him,  l)efore,  behind,  and  around 
him,  eraceful  pine-trees  .aised  their  slender, 
lK)inted  heads  up  to  the  silver  li^ht.  In  the 
distance,  hke  a  strange,  white  miraj^e  set 
in  the  moonlit  sky,  a  snow-caj^ixxl  mountain 
seemed  hunu  as  in  mid-air.  The  j,'rass  Ix'- 
nealh  his  feet  was  yountj  and  intensely  soft, 
witli  dewy  moisture  u|M)n  it. 

A  niuhtinirale  on  the  tip  of  a  tall  bamboo 
sam.;  with  such  })assionate  sweetness  that 
it  brouLrht  the  lover  out  from  the  shelter  of 
the    shadow.     Quiverincj    with    emotion,    his 


23 


^ 


<tCz3 


IX: 


'         J 


soul  rcsponduii^r  ,,,1(1  vil.ratint,'  to  the  sontr 
of  love  ho  .stn.dc  into  the  hyht  of  the  moon 
LnniuKlful  of  the  d.av^tT  of  his  ex}x)sure  to 
r)ossil.lc  ohservatH.n,  he  drew  forth  from  the 
bosom  of  his  iKa.ri  a  httle  roll  of  rice-paper 
Once  more  he  read  it  Uirou^rh,  and  yet  once 
a^ain. 

I         '•  AIV  Lr)RD.-I  write  this  augustly  inr,ig„ifuant 
W    Ic  tor    o  you    trustm,^  that  your   health  is  gcxxl 

ancestlirs     "  ""  -''^"^  ^'''''''''^^'  ^^'latnes  and 

••  I  have  received  y„ur  nmst  honorably  niagnif- 
Kcnt  cun,,,Inncnts.     Accept  my  humblest  thanks 

von  ."''.  ,'"-'"  *".  'm"'  ""'"  ^'"^■•'  be-^-eeching 
>ou  to  abandon  so  foolhardy  a  purpose  as  to  fol- 
lovv  me  ,.,  n,y  uncle's  home.  I  would  fe.gn  warn 
jou  that  my  uncle's  guards  arc  fierce  and  ofUunes 
rucl,  and  to  one  wearmg  the  garb  of  a  hostile  clan 
fear  they  would  show  no  mercy.  Therefore  I 
tx^scecii  you,  do  you  pray  abandon  your  honorable 
purpose. 

"  Also  condescend   to  permit  me  to  add,  that  if 

you  must  m.Iecd  truly  attempt  so  hazardous  an  un- 

crt«kn,g   I  would  beg  to  mform  you,  that  though 

e  grounds  are  surrounded   by  such  great   walls 

urn    and"'.  T"  !!^''  '?"  ^  ^"'"'^''^  ^^^  "''^'^t  chmb 
them,  and  also  the  gates  arc  guarded  by  the  fiercest 

samurai   nevertheless,  on  the  south  there  is  a  small 

•er.     .Mayhap  you  will  hire  a  boat      Then  do  you 

WeTnl  r   """''''^*'^  "■'^"^'  ^^'^'^'^'■"^  ^^«-  *«'l><^ 
hr"  f;        1         "T"'"  -'"''"  ^'^^^  >-°"  «•'»  discover  a 
break  in  the  south  wail,  which  leads  into  the  gar^ 
dens  surrounding  the  [)alace 
f«*^lord,  my  uncle's  guards  are  not  so  vngilant 


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before  sunrise,  as  I  myself  have  ofttimes  rcmnrkcd 
wlien  I  have  arisen  early  of  a  morning  and  have 
l(K)l<c(!  from  my  casement,  which  is  also  on  the  south 
side  of  the  p)alacc,  facuig  the  river  and  the  outlet 
thereto." 

The  nightingale  paused  in  its  song,  and 
then  brolce  out  again,  its  long,  piercing  trill 
filling  the  night. 

The  lover  returned  to  the  shelter  of  the 
pine  grove,  and,  throwing  hinitelf  upon  the 
grass,  drew  his  ca|)e  close  about  him.  Lean- 
ing his  head  uiK)n  his  hand,  he  gave  himself 
up  to  lus  dreams. 


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WE  Lady  Wistaria  arose  witli 
the  sun.  Without  wailniL,'-  to 
pin  back  the  louL^  silken  hair 
which  huiiLC  hke  a  cloud  of 
lacciuer  about  her,  she  stole 
softly  to  the  ca  euienl  of  her 
chaui!)er. 

The  jierfuii.c  wliich  stole  U]i 
to  her  was  sweeter  and  stronger 
far  than  that  wafted  from  the 
trees  laden  with  the  dews  of 
the  early  niornine.  ^  et  the 
trees  were  bare  of  blossoms  and 
woidd  not  bloom  for  a  month 
to  come.  Nevertheless  the  led^e 
of  Wistaria's  casement  was  piled 
with  the  livinir  spring  blossoms 

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of  plum  and  cherry.  Sho  could  not  but  caress 
ihciii  with  her  li,  ds,  her  lips,  her  eyes,  her 
burninu  cheeks.  ^Vith  little,  treiiiblin^r  hatids 
she  searched  ainouL,'  them  and  found  what 
she  sought — a  scroll — a  narrow,  thin,  won- 
derful scroll,  luim,  yet  only  a  few  inches  in 
width,  with  j^^olden  borders  down  the  sides, 
and  the  faint,  ex<pusite  tracin)l,^s  of  birds  and 
flowers  intertwined  amonj.;  the  words  that 
leajH-'d  up  at  her  almost  as  though  they  hiid 
sixikjii.  It  was  a  iK)em  to  her — her  grace, 
beauty,  modesty,  loveliness,  its  theme: 

.\  stately  shiro  was  her  home; 

111  royal  halls  she  shone  most  fair. 
From  liny  feet  to  poldcn  (onib, 

la  her  sweet  life  what  is  my  share? 

"Oh,  lovily  mai(b  my  moon  thmt  art; 
0  Fuji  san,  thou  hast  my  heart!" 

There  were  many  other  verses,  but  the 
Lady  Wistaria  was  too  much  moved  to  liave 
either  the  vision  or  the  mind  to  read  beyond 
the  first  statiza.  .As  became  her  rank  and 
the  i>ainful  tuition  of  years,  she  shoidd  have 
jnished  very  deliberatel>'  the  flowers  from  her 
sill  and  torn  the  scroll  nito  ra^tred  ])ieces,  £i 
chasti.^ement  i)re.scribed  ])y  every  etifjuette  for 
tlie  temerity  of  a  i)resiunptuous  lo\er. 

Ikit  the  Lady  Wistaria  did  nothing  of  the 
sort.  She  gathered  the  flowers  tenderly  and 
took   them  in.     Then   .she  came  baric  to  the 


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casement,  and,  Icaninj,'  far  out,  j^^azed  with 
IMcrcmj,'  wistfulncss  out  into  the  little  parden 
below.  For  some  mniutes  she  waited,  the 
patience  of  her  caste  fadnii^  away  j::rad'ually 
into  that  of  the  mipatience  of  her  sex. 

A  voice  beneath  her  casement!  She  leaned 
farther  over.  A  youns;  man's  eager,  glowing 
face  smiled  up  at  her  like  the  rising  sun. 
Again  the  Lady  Wistaria  forgot  the  training 
of  years.  Her  trembling  voice  iloated  down 
to  him : 

"Pray  you  do  consider  the  perils  in  which 
you  j)lace  yourself,"  she  imi)lored. 

''I  would  pass  through  all  the  perils  of 
hell  so  I  might  reach  you  in  the  end,"  he 
fi.T\i(lly  whisi)ered  back. 

"Oh,  my  lord,  look  yonder!  Sec.  the  sun 
IS  pushing  Its  way  upward  above  the  moun- 
tains and  the  hill-tops.  Do  \  ou  not  know  that 
soon  my  uncle's  guards  will  pass  this  way''" 

"Inder  the  heavens  there  is  nothing  in 
all  this  wide  world  worthy  as  a  gift  for  vou 
dear  lady.  That  you  have  deigned  to  accept 
my  honorable  flowers  and  niv  abominably 
constructid  poem  has  given  me  such  strength 
that  I  am  prepared  to  fight  a  whole  army  of 
guards  Ay!  And  to  give  up  readily/too, 
my  life. 

•'And  if  you  love  me,"  she  replied,  "vou 
will  guard  with  all  your  strength  that  "hfe 
which  you  are  so  recklessly  exposing  to 
danger. 


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"Ah,  sweetest  lady,  can  it  be  true  then 
that  you  condescend  lu  take  some  concern 
in  my  insifjnificant  existence?" 

She  made  no  resiH>nse  other  than  to  pluck 
from  the  climbuitx  vnie  about  her  casement 
<«ne  little  half- blown  leaf  and  drop  it  at  his 
feet. 

As  he  sto<iix-d  to  pick  up  the  leaf  a  form 
inter[K)sed  itself,  and  a  half-^rrown  man  looked 
him  steadily  in  the  face.  With  a  little  cry 
the  Lady  Wistaria  vanished  from  her  case- 
ment. 

Meanwhile   the   intruder,   instead   of  beini? 
the  aggressor,  was  defending  himself  against 
the    flashing    blade    of    the    infuriatctl    lover. 
Too  proud  to  call  f,^r  aid.  the  youth  opjKxsed 
to  the  lover  found  him.sclf  outmatched  before 
the  skill  and  fire  of  the  other.     So  thinking 
caution  better  than  valor,  he  flung  his  sword 
at  the  feet  of  the  lover.     The  hitter,  picking 
it  up  by  the  middle,  returned  it  to  his  opiKjnent 
with  a  low  bow  of  utmost  grace.     Then  with 
one  hand  on  his  hip  and   the  other  holding 
his  sword,  he  addressed  the  youth. 
"Thy  name?" 
"Catzu  Toro.     And  thine?" 
"TfK)  insignificant  to  be  sfwken  before  one 
who   bears   so   great  a  name   as   thine,"   re- 
turned the  other,  bowing  with  .satirical  grace 

"How  is  that?"  cried  Catzu  Tore  — "in- 
significant? What,  one  in  thv  garb  and 
with  thy  skill  of  swordsmanshif)?" 

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The  victorious  one,  slinmtrinLT  his  shimlders 
imi)ercei»lihly,  at,rain  bowed  with  a  smile  of 
disclaimer. 

"May  I  he  permitted,"  he  said,  "to  put 
one  fiuestiou  to  you,  my  lord,  find  then  I  am 
l)erfectly  i)repared  to  t;ive  myself  up  to  vour 
fathers  >.,aiards,  though  not,  1  promise  you, 
without  a  stru^t,de,  which  I  doubt  not  your 
vassals  will  Umu:  remember.  "  And  he  blithely 
bent  the  blade  of  his  sword  with  his  two  hards. 

''Nay,  then,"  cried  the  youth,  imi)etuou.sly, 
"Vou  do  me  injustice.  1  am  ready  to  swear 
im)tection  to  one  who  has  acted  so  bravely 
as  thou.  Hut  a  question  for  a  question,  is 
not  that  fair?" 
"Assuredly." 

"Wry  well,  then.     You   serve   the   Prince 
of  Mori?" 

"In  a  very  humble  capacity,"  returned  the 
other,  guardedly. 

"In  what  capacity?"  inquired  the  young 
Toro,  quickly. 

"Ah,  ihat  is  two  questions,  and  you  have 
not  even  deigned  to  listen  to  my  one/' 

"Sjieak,"  said  the  youth,  curbing  his  curi- 
osity and  impatience. 

Ihe  Lady  Wistaria — she  is  your  sister?" 

"My  cousin,"  answered   the  other,  brief!}'. 

"  Will  you  tell  me  how  it  is  jH)ssible  for  one 
unfortunately  attached  to  an  unfriendly  clan 
to  pay  court  to  your  cousin?" 

"Two    questions,    that!"    exclaimed  Toro, 

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proinplly,  uhcant  tluy  both  laiit;hctl,  their 
fru'iKlship  growing  in  i)rojx)rti(>n  to  their 
UOiKl-humor. 

".\(>\v,"  s.iu)  T'lro,  "1  will  answer  what- 
ever ([UesliDns  ymi  may  ])ut  to  uie,  if  you  ni 
return  will  only  satisfy  my  innul  concern- 
iiiLT  eerlain  mailers  whieh  1  am  i>erishing  to 
know." 

"A  fair  exchaneel  f'loodl" 
"Tluii,"  Saul  Toro,  unl(M)sening  his  own 
c.iiK-  from  his  hii)s,  "pray  throw  ihis  about 
you,  fcr  1  fear  you  will  be  observed  by  my 
falher's  samurai.  ICveri  my  presence,"  he 
added,  with  a  sigh,  "could  hardly  i)rotect 
you,  for  I,  alas!  am  under  age." 

"Is  it  possible':*"  .said  the  stranger,  with 
such  alTecled  surpri.se  that  the  boy  Hushed 
with  delight. 

"\ow,  my  lord  "—he  hesitated,  dou1)tful- 
ly,  as  though  h,)i)ing  the  other  would  .sui)ply 
the  name — "now,  my  lord,  let  me  e.xplain  to 
you  why  I  truly  sympathize  with  you  in  your 
love  for  (.ne  who  must  seem  iniiXKssible." 

"Not  nnix)ssible,"  corrected  the  lover,  .soft- 
ly, thinliing  tenderly  of  the  Uuly  \Vi.staria's 
fears  for  hiin. 

"I,  too,"  confes.sed  Toro,  "am  in  the  ;  .me 
plight." 

"What'"  cried  the  lover,  in  dismay;  "you 
also  adore  the  lady?" 

"No,"  replied  Toro,  shaking  his  head  with 
sad   melancholy:   "but   1   have  conceived  the 


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most  hopcLss  allachmciU  fur  a  lady  whom  1 
may  nevi  r  dream  of  wiiminfr." 

"  Then  1  am  mucli  mistaken  in  you.  I 
lliini^ht,  my  lord,  lliat  j  )ii  were  not  only  a 
brave  man,  but  a  darinf,^  knight." 

"But  you  cannot  conceive  of  the  extremity 
of  my  case,"  cried  the  youth,  piteously,  "for 
consider:  the  lady  1  love  not  only  belongs  to 
our  rival   clan,   but  is  already   betrothed." 

"Well,  but  betrothals  have  been  broken  be- 
fore, my  lord,  and  the  days  of  romance  and  ad- 
venture are  not  altogether  dead  in  the  land." 
"  Ah,  yes,  that  is  true,  but  my  rival  is  not 
only  more  powerful,  but  in  every  respect  more 
prejK\ssessing  and  attractive." 

"Indeed?  Well,  all  this  interests  me  very 
much.  Still,  1  must  say,  my  lord,  that  though 
I  iun  in  *he  service  of  the  Mori,  1  have  not 
seen  the  knight  or  courtier  who  could  prove 
so  formidable  a  rival  to  you,  either  in  graces 
or  rank— for  are  you  not  the  son  of  the  great 
lord  of  this  i)rovince?"  W 

"And  has  not  our  neighboring  lord  a  son 
also?" 

"  Wh — what!"  cried  the  stranger,  darting 
backward  as  though  the  \-outh  had  dealt 
him  a  sharp  and  unexpected  blow ;  then  scan- 
ning the  other's  face  closely,  "You  do  not 
mean — the  Prince — ?" 

"  Ves— tlie  Prince  Keiki.  Tliat  swaggering, 
bragging,  noisy  roustabout,  who  bears  so 
many  cognomens." 


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"Hum!"  .said  ihc  oilier.  "They  call  him 
llie  I'liiKc  Kci— ,  truly—" 

"\\s,"  .said  ihc  youth,  jealously,  "and  also 
'HiUal- Keiki-no-Kiiiu  '  (the  iShininLj  Princr 
Keiki).' 

"  \  ou  have  lold  nie  strantrc  new.s  indeed," 
.said  the  .Mori  courtier.      "1  did    not   know  of 
the  betrothal  of  our  rrince.      It  is  very  .sad 
truly." 

"Sad!  To  he  betrothed  to  the  Princess 
Ilollyh<.ek  .sad?" 

"I'or  you,  my  lord,"  replied  the  other,  with 
a  .slight  smile. 

Toro  doubled  his  hands  si)asmodically  as 
he  frowned  with  the  fierceness  of  a  .samurai, 
that  the  other  iiii^ht  not  ob.serve  the  soft 
moisture  of  a  woman  in  his  eyes. 

"Now  let  me  tell  you  a  .secret,"  .said  the 
.stranger,  touchuiij  his  arm  with  confiden- 
tial .symi.athy.  "  l.'pon  my  word,  the  PVin- 
ce.ss  Hollyhock  is  not  betrothed  to  the  Prince 
Keiki." 

"  .My  lord,  you  do  not  say  so!     Are  you 

sure''" 

''.\s  sure  as  I  am  that  1  am  here  now." 
"Oh,  the  trwls  them --'Ives  must  have  sent 
you    Imher!"    cried    th^    youth.     "Will    you 
^    not  accei)t  my  i)rotection  and  constant  aid  in 
your  suit  for  my  cou.sin?" 

"  Vou  are  more  Kt-'nerous  than—" 
"Your  Prince,  you  would  .say,"  interrupted 
:f.     Toro,  bitterlv. 


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" — llian  the  ^<>ds,  1  was  alxiiit  to  remark," 
^  said  the  otlur,  gravely.  "Now  kt  us  form 
a  compact.  \'ou  on  your  side  will  promise 
ine  protection  and  aid  here  on  your  estates, 
and  I  will  swear  to  you  that  you  shall  win 
and  wed  the  Princess  IlollylvKk." 

"I  have  a  small  house  yonder,  my  lord," 
cried  the  impulsive  youth,  excitedly.  "  It  is 
hei)t  by  my  old  nurse.  Come  yctu  with  me 
thither.  I  shall  lend  you  whatever  clothes 
you  may  require  and  you  shall  remain  here 
as  loni:  as  you  wish.  I  will  intrcKlucc  you 
to  my  family  as  a  friend  —  a  student  from 
my  own  university  in  Kummommotta.  Then 
you  can  make  suit  to  Wistaria,  and,  havint^ 
once  wed  her,  who  can  separate  you,  let  me 


^ 


asl 

"Not  the  Rods  themselves,  I  swear  I"  cried 
the  other. 

"And  your  name — what  shall  1  call  you?" 
The  courtier  hesitated  for  the  first  time. 
"  My  name  is  insignificant.     It  is  a  Mori 
name,  and  therefore  dangerous  in  your  prov- 
ince." 

"  Vou  must  assume  another,  then." 
"I him!     Well,  what    would    \'ou    suggest, 
my  lord?" 

"How  will  Shioshio  Shawtaro  do?" 
"Not  at  all.     It  has  a  trading  sound." 
"  llo!  ho!     How  about  Taketonii  Tokioshi?" 
'Too  imjK'rious." 
"Fujita  (knnba?" 


34 


■  <L^ 


. 


' 


f 


^^ 


T/1E-W0QiriC  oj^  VJ3TAR)A 


— ^ 


:^ 


^ 


-So,  no. 


"Then  do  you  choose  yourself." 

"My  lord,  uaiviiiL,'  a.sidc  all  our  iH)liti(.al 
^  differeiices,  do  you  not  think  it  would  he 
lo\al  for  uie  to  take  the  name  of  one  of  my 
own  i)eoj)le?" 

"  What,  a  Mori  name?  Vou  are  very  droll, 
my  lord.  Why  not  keep  your  own  name, 
then'.'" 

"All,  but  it  i.s  not  the  Mori  family  name  I 
wi.sh  to  a.s.suiiie,   hut  a  .surname." 

"It  JuiLrht  be  dangerous." 

"Uh,  not  without  the  family  name  and 
title  attached.  Suiijjose  I  lake  the  name  of 
Keiki?" 

"What!     The  name  of  my  rival!" 

"My  prince,  my  lord,"  said  the  other,  how- 
Ulis  deeply. 

"Nevertheless  my  rival." 

"Xot  at  all;  and  if  he  were  so,  why  not 
errant  him  this  little  honor.  .seein<.i  you  are 
to  worst  him  in  the  suit  for  the  ladv^" 

"That  is  true." 

"The  name  will  sound  vastly  different  with 
another  family  name  attached.  Sui)i)o.se  I 
assume  the  name  of  Tominatra  Keiki?  That 
is  .somewhat  different  from  Mori  Keiki  is  it 
not^" 

"  Somewhat. " 

"Then  Keiki  is  my  name." 

"Kei—     Very  well.     Let  it  be  so," 


#- 


k' 


•^  — 


^ 


^  4 — ~ 


:-lr- 


I 


IliC  Lord  of  Catzu  received 
his  Son's  friiiid  uilh  liospi- 
tality  dictatul  hy  his  fat  and 
UOfKl-luituorcd  nature,  besccrh- 
inu:  him  to  consider  llic  Catzu 
possessions  as  his  own.  Keiki 
(as  he  had  called  himself), 
on  fire  to  make  use  of  the  ad- 
vantuLce  he  had  now  J,^•unL■d  at 
the  outset,  was  met  by  two 
uiiexjx.'cted  obstacles. 

In  the  first  place,  the  Lady 
Wistaria  was  hedtred  about  b\- 
an  almost  insurmountable  wall 
of  eti(iuetle  and  form.  Though 
the  lover  l)les.sed  all  the  >,^ods 
for    the    i)rivile^e    of    beinp    in 


izz;^ 


X 


.1^ 


=g=» 


.  a^zz iii T rx= 


< 


f 


c^ 


Ikt  prcsoiKc  call  day,  yd,  iiTipctuoiis,  warm- 
l>l()<>(lc(l,  and  aril*. lit,  he  could  tml  hul  cliafc 
at  the  distaiHL-  and  the  sdciicc  which  scciiicd 
impassalilc  !)ct\vccti  thciii. 

Wistaria,  he  thuiicht,  iiiiuht  just  ns  well 
ha\e  been  a  twinklmt,'  star  in  the  heavens 
al)o\c  hill  as  to  l)e  placed  at  one  end  of  the 
uuist-rooMi,  her  iips  sealed  in  maidenly  sileiue, 
while  at  the  other  end,  in  the  jilace  of  honor, 
ninst  sit  he,  the  aimust  uuest,  inwardly  the 
l)iirniim  lo\er.  netweeii  them  interi)used  her 
honorable  relatives  and  certain  members  of 
her  uncle's  housihold,  sei»aratinLi  the  lovers 
With  their  exlravauant  ixdileness  and  words 
of  gracious  comi)liment  and  hospitality. 

In  the  second  place,  the  pilot  uiH)n  whom 
he  had  relied  for  safe  conduct  throutih  the 
icy  forms  whiih  hept  him  from  his  mistress 
had  fleserted  hiin  i>erlidiously.  Toro,  the 
reckless  and  foolhardy,  his  imaj^inatii)!!  fed 
bv  the  darini;  and  sant^-froid  of  the  Mori 
claiisiiian,  his  own  heart  aflame  with  as  deej) 
a  passion  as  his  friend's,  had  borrowed  his 
dress  and  departed  for  Choshui,  there  to  risk 
all  chance  of  dantror  with  the  bravery,  but 
uiihout,  alas!  the  wit,  of  the  Mori  courtier. 

To  ofT.sct  these  two  hardships,  the  lowers 
saw  a  LMft  sent  by  the  ^jixls  in  the  indisjxisi- 
lioii  of  the  Lady  ICveninc:  (ilory.  After  the 
loiv^  and  tedious  journey  from  the  cajMtal,  the 
ladv,  who  was  of  a  delicate  constitution,  re- 
tired to  her  apartments  with  a  malady  of  the 


# 


2E: 

0/ 


X 


I 
it 


r 

if 


si 


3         ■  — — %  —         -^      ' 


:ac 


^ 


w 


head  and  tooth.  In  ]X)int  of  fact,  the  Lady 
ICvcning  (dory  sufTcrcd  from  ntuialuia.  The 
lovers  prayed  that  her  ilhiess  mij^dit  he  lon^f 
and  linperinf,',  thouj^di  Wistaria,  havinjx  he- 
sought  her  to  keep  to  lier  hed  as  lonj^  as  jh^s- 
sihle  that  relai)se  niij^dil  he  avoided,  teni|XTed 
her  i)rayer  with  a  petition  to  lier  favorite  K<>tl 
tliat  her  aunt's  ilhiess  inifL^ht  he  unattended 
',  ilh  pain. 

With  the  Lady  I-^venin^'  Cdory,  the  vigilant 
mentor  of  Wistariii,  safely  out  of  the  way, 
the  trirl  found  no  cause  for  despair.  This 
was  the  reason  she  returned  her  lover's  i)lead- 
in^  and  ofttimes  reproachful  glances  with 
smiles,  which,  hut  for  the  joy  of  .seeint^  them, 
he  would  have  thou;.;ht  heartless.  The  joy  of 
Wistaria's  smile  almost  comiK'n.satcxl  for  the 
l)ain  of  her  lover's  i-)oii:rnant  surmise  that  her 
he.irt  had  no  pity  for  the  woes  of  her  adorer. 

.And,  indeed,  at  this  time  there  was  little 
else  in  the  C'rl's  heart  save  a  sint,nn^  joy, 
a  ri])])lintr  flutter  of  new  emotions  and  thrills, 
which  .she,  too  innocent  as  yet  to  recognize 
their  full  imjK)rt,  cared  only  to  welcome  with 
deliLrht.  to  encourage,  to  foster  and  enjoy  to 
the  uttcnnost. 

Bel  ween  Wistaria  and  her  uncle  there  was 
utmost  confidence  and  love.  The  young  girl 
occuj)ied  that  place  in  his  heart  which  would 
have  heen  held  h  the  daughter  denied  him 
hy  the  gods.  The  mantling  flu.sh,  the  ever- 
shining  eyes,  now  liri^ht  with  joy  that  would 


2Ei: 


3^ 


:3C 


JD. 


rhc  k 


i 


k 


^ 


H 


f 


::=3 


TOE  .VOOii>iG  op  ViSTARU 


= 


t 


k 


t)verflt)\v,  nuw  iiuiist  with  the  unbidden  teitrs 
that  .sprni^^  to  the  eyes  when  the  heart  is 
disturbed  with  an  cinolK)n  mure  sweet  than 
expression;  these — the  eiianj^^e  whieli  youn)^ 
love  alone  can  produce  in  a  maiden — he  Wcis 
quick  to  jHjrceive. 

The  Lord  Catzu's  own  marriage  had  been 
most  romantic,  and  if  his  lady  had  livcxl  down 
frigidly  to  the  world,  her  husband  at  least  had 
retained  his  sentimental  remeiiibtance  of  the 
adventurous  escajjades  attending  it. 

Such  were  the  opiK)rtunities  of  life  to  the 
daimio  of  a  province  at  jx-'ace  that,  to  all  out- 
ward ai)i)earances,  Catzu  was  too  indolent,  too 
listlessly,  luxuriously  lazy  and  pre(x;cupied 
with  his  own  pleasures  to  observe  his  niece's 
condition  of  heart.  But  the  Lord  Catzu,  with 
all  his  placidity,  was  astute.  Beneath  his 
lazy  eyelids  his  own  small  eyes  nusscxi  little 
that  passed  before  him. 

In  fact,  it  was  not  long  before  he  became 
aware  of  the  attachment  between  the  young 
IK'ople.  The  courtier,  he  knew,  bore  an  as- 
sumed name,  for  Toro  had  hiborcd  with  awk- 
wardness when  he  endeavored  to  invent  a 
lineage  for  the  friend  whose  ai)i)earance  at 
the  Catzu  {)alace  without  the  customary  ret- 
inue of  servants  or  retainers  had  convinced 
its  lord  that  he  had  discovered  a  tinge  of  that 
delightful  mystery  which  but  added  to  the 
favor  of  the  unknown  in  the  eyes  of  the  sen- 
timental Lord  of  Catzu.     In  addition,  it  was 


X 


2£: 


X 


h-: 


■i 


3 


.'9 


"iTT^''r"-->faai 


C^Z 


T«£  ."WOOING  Of  Vi3TAR)A 


IX 


13: 


the  mode  for  yount;  nobles  of  the  realm  to 
undertake  courtship  over  an  assumed  name, 
so  that  an  lur  of  romance  mi^ht  be  lent  to 
their  love  affair.  As  to  the  younij:  man's 
rank  there  could  be  no  (luestion,  since  his 
manners  and  breeding,  his  ^race  of  jx^rson 
and  charm  of  sjK^ech,  were  caste  characteristic. 
Lookint;  secretly  with  hiuh  favor  upon  ihc 
j-omig  man,  Cat/.u  considered  how  he  might 
aid  the  lovers. 

Slothful  and  deliberate  in  all  he  undertook, 
Catzu  might  prov  oke  imi)atience,  but  his  grad- 
ual accomplishment  of  his  ends  was  gratify- 
ing. Just  as  he  took  his  time  in  the  serious 
business  of  life,  so  was  he  leisurely  in  the 
pursuit  of  his  pleasures.  As  a  consequence 
the  lovers  for  a  time  were  kept  in  an  agony 
of  waiting  and  suspense. 

Keiki,  maddened  and  irritated  by  the  con- 
stant presence  of  the  smiling  Lord  Catzu, 
who  in  his  opinion  stocxl  between  him  and 
his  heart's  desire,  once  more  fell  to  writing 
imploring  letters  and  poems  to  the  Lady 
Wistaria  which  made  up  in  epithets  of  en- 
dearment what  they  lacked  in  rhetoric.  He 
l)rayed  her  to  fuid  some  means  by  which  he 
might  be  with  her  alone,  if  only  for  a  frac- 
tion of  a  minute.  The  one  word  "Patience," 
written  uixm  a  little  china  i)latc,  so  min- 
utely that  he  could  scarcely  decipher  it,  was 
the  rejily  brought  by  the  Lord  Catzu,  with 
the  information  that  the  Lady  Wistaria  hcr- 


-t^ 


^ 


3K= 

40 


X 


■■■Jt . 


?m:w^ 


-•WJ' 


%* 


'-"fs^.'i^ 


*  uf 


^ 


e 


(r" 


« 


-# 


TOE  .WOOji>iG  Of?  \^^3TAR»A 


Sflf  had  i)aintcd  the  plate  for  their  august 
guest. 

Meanwhile  Catzu,  cognizant  of  every  sigh, 
every  ai)iK\'iling  expression,  every  significant 
motion,  laid  his  plans  carefully  for  the  im- 
patient suitor's  happiness.  Certainly  within 
the  walls  of  the  palace  itself  there  was  no 
hope  of  solitude  for  tlie  lovers.  Pretexts  for 
out-door  pleasure-i)arties  were  never  wanting 
in  the  warmer  season.  Local  ffites,  the  birth  of 
each  new  flower,  family  events — all  these  were 
sullicient  invitation  in  themselves  for  such  con- 
vivial jv'irties  as  delighted  the  soul  of  the  Lord 
of  Catzu,  and  could  not  have  failed  in  their 
chance  op)X)rtunity  for  dual  solitude. 

At  this  time  of  the  year,  alas!  there  was 
neither  snow  nor  moon  nor  flowers  to  serve 
a  i)retext.  A  series  of  heavy  rainfalls,  most 
distressing  and  persistent,  was  the  only  fugi- 
tive hefoie  approaching  spring.  Yet  even 
the  rain-gixls  have  a  limit  to  their  tears,  and, 
after  all,  the  rains  precetling  the  first  month 
of  si)ring  are  ofttimes  the  very  means  by 
which  the  land  is  cleansed  ere  it  bursts  into 
beauty  and  bud. 

Xot  so  interminable  as  it  seemed  to  them 
was  the  lovers'  waiting.  Three  .short  days 
— yet  how  long! — and  then  the  sun  which 
had  struggled  for  ascendency  over  the  troubled 
heavens  rose  up  proudly  triumphant.  The 
thunders  retreated  into  tremulous  growls  of 
defeat ;    the   gray  -  black  clouds    rolled    away 


X 


^ 


T^ 


41 


Cz 


3r- 


-hi 


* 


3: 


3E: 
42 


X 


f 


l)cforc  the  blindin^j  Hushes  of  the  sun -rays, 
flittinf^  hkc  ^^hosts  before  the  dawn.  An  iin- 
niense  rambow,  spanning  the  entire  heavens, 
si)rang  out  of  the  skies,  a  signal  of  the  sun- 
god's  victory. 

What  mattered  it  that  the  land  was  barren 
as  yet  of  flowers?  The  griiss  \vas  green  and 
the  tr^es  almost  bursting  in  efTort  of  emulation. 
Catzu,  having  satisfied  himself  that  the  moist- 
ure on  the  grass  was  but  the  dew  of  spring, 
forthwith  devised  a  small  i)arty.  It  consisted 
of  his  lady  niece  and  the  august  guest  of 
the  hou.sehold,  who  was  graciously  entreated 
to  accomi)any  them,  and  who  accepted  with 
an  alacrity  almost  lacking  courtesy. 

With  but  two  attendants,  the  party  set  out 
from  the  palace.  Taking  a  small  boat,  they 
made  a  swift  pilgrimage  up  the  graceful  riv- 
er to  a  small  island  where  a  picturesque  tea- 
hou.se  and  gardens,  with  twenty  charming 
geishas,  iiuide  a  fairyland  for  lovers. 

To  receive  so  early  and  unheralded  a  visit 
from  the  august  lord  of  the  province  threw 
the  geishas  into  a  delighted  panic  of  excite- 
ment. Their  attendants  were  seen  rushing 
hither  and  thither  throughout  the  place,  hiis- 
tily  making  it  suitable  for  the  reception  of 
the  exalted  guests. 

Hastening  down  to  the  beach,  the  chief 
geisha  herself  apjlogized  for  the  island's 
condition.  The  Lord  of  Catzu  went  to  meet 
her.     For  his    guest    to  be    received  without 


t 


u  '-MiJ '  w^mmm:immm'm^i 


1 


M 


4 


3E 


a: 


l)reparati<)n,  he  explained  to  Keiki,  would  be 
inifitlinff.  Coiise(iutiitly  he  beji^^'d  him  to 
remain  on  the  beach,  while  he  himself  pro- 
ceeded with  the  chief  geisha  to  the  tea-house 
to  issue  instructions. 

The  stolid  and  indifTcrent  lackeys  who 
had  attended  the  party  returned  to  the  boat, 
where  they  fell  into  conversation  with  the 
oarsmen. 

At  last  the  lovers  were  alone. 

For  a  long  moment  Keiki  and  Wistaria 
looked  into  each  other's  eyes.  They  were 
safe  from  all  observation,  for  the  gardens, 
and  indeed  the  whole  island,  was  oi  that 
r(x:k-and-,'  bl)le-built  variety  favored  by  the 
Japanese,  fk'hind  and  around  them  thej' 
were  screened  by  quaint,  grotesque  nxks  of 
natural  form  and  immense  size,  carried  from 
a  mountain  to  this  tiny  island,  placed  there 
in  miniature  to  simulate  nature. 

rs'evertheless  Keiki,  the  imj)aticnt  and  ar- 
dent, now  at  the  crucial  moment,  had  naught 
to  .say.  fie  had  confes.sed  his  love  in  his 
letters:  she  had  admitted  tacitly  her  own. 
Still  they  did  not  embrace,  or  even  touch 
each  other.  Culture  is  strong  in  Japan, 
where  also  is  the  fire  of  love.  So  these  two 
but  looked  into  each  other's  faces,  all  their 
hearts'  eloquent  j)assi()n  in  their  eyes.  Wis- 
taria's eyes  did  not  fall  before  his  tender  gaze. 
Only  a  rose-red  flush  cre})t  .softly  like  a  mag- 
ic glow  over  the  oval  of  her  cheeks,  tingeing 


h> 


43 


zar 


ip 


m^m^^ 


* 


•• 


i 


^ 


*:i 


T 


her  little  chin  while  accentuating  her  brow's 
whiteness. 

Without  a  word  her  lover  dropped  uixm 
one  knee,  lifted  the  long  sleeve  of  her  kimono, 
and  buried  his  face  within  its  fabric. 

Five  minutes  later,  hiind  in  hand,  they 
were  standing  on  the  same  SjX)t.  They  were 
watching  the  river,  swtjllen  by  recent  rains, 
as  it  burst  over  the  rocks  beyond,  bound- 
ing down  the  river-bed,  rolling  swiftly  along, 
twisting,  curving,  and  winding  about  the 
sinuous  form  of  the  i.slands  shore,  holding 
it  in  the  grudging  love  of  the  water  for  the 
land.  The  water  was  blue-^reen  in  color, 
save  where  the  sunbeams  reflected  its  own 
light  in  glistening  gleams  of  quicksilver, 
ever  moving,  ever  playing,  while  the  shores 
on  either  side  threw  shiidows  of  their  trees 
and  rocks  ujxin  it.  A.s  it  ran  busily,  merrily 
along,  now  and  then  lapjnng  the  shore  and 
leaping  to  their  very  feet,  it  seemed  a  living 
thing  which  babbled  and  laughed  with  an 
inward  knowledge  of  their  joy,  and  also  sighed 
and  wailed  with  a  proi)hetic  undercurrent  of 
coming  woe. 

The  touch  of  their  hands  close  clasped  to- 
gether made  them  tremble  and  quiver.  Their 
eyes  met  to  droop  away  and  meet  again  in 
the  vivid  recognition  of  their  own  innwent 
happiness.  They  could  not  speak,  becau.se 
their  hearts  had  laid  claim  to  their  lips  and 
sealed  them  in  a  golden  silence. 


44 


X 


i 


t 


t^^^'mi:^''^^^: 


n     TOE . WOOif^G  0)^  VJ3TAFJ A 


f» 


fe^ 


4. 


Then,  after  a  lorifr  interval,  Keiki  found 
his  voice.  If  he  .«iH)ke  of  the  flowinj;  river 
at  their  feet,  it  was  not  the  river  itself  that 
absorbed  his  mind,  but  because  in  it,  as  in 
all  thiiic^s  beautiful  in  life,  he  now  saw  re- 
flected the  iiTiat^e  of  his  beloved. 

"  The  honoral)le  nver/"'  he  .said,  "flows  hiph 
at  this  .sea.son,  but  before  the  summer  dies  it 
will  be  but  a  thin  line,  very  still,  very  quiet." 

"  Ves,"  said  Wistaria,  tremulously,  "but  the 
lotus  will  sprin!.,^  iil>  in  its  honorable  waters, 
and  if  the  river  should  continue  to  rise  and 
rush  onward  like  this,  I  fear  me  the  water- 
flowers  would  perish  and  the  noise  of  its  cease- 
less flow  would  drown  the  voices  of  the  birds, 
which  make  the  summer  speak." 

"That  is  true,"  .said  Keiki,  "but  when  the 
summer  passes  then  the  flowers  must  still  die, 
and  we  may  no  lontr^r  hear  the  sintrinp  of 
the  birds.  Then  still  the  river  will  be  silent 
and  motionles.s — iH.Thaf)S  dead." 

I\eiki  sipfhed  with  the  moodiness  of  love 
attained.  A  pentle  depression  stole  from  him 
to  the  Lady  Wistaria. 

"Alas!  my  lord,"  she  murmured;  "it  is  so 
with  all  thin^^s  in  life  that  are  beautiful. 
They  vanish  and  die  like  the  flowers  of  sum- 
mer." 

"Then,"  said  Keiki,  "swear  by  the  (rod 
of  the  sea.  by  whose  waters  we  now  stand, 
that  our  love  shall  never  die.  and  that  for 
the  time  of  this  life,  and   the  next,  and  as 


=X 


3E:z 
45 


IX 


* 


H 


many  after  as  may  come,  you  will  be  my 
flower  wife,  and  lake  me  for  your  husband." 
"By  all  the  eij^^ht  million  ^1,0^^  of  heaven, 
and  by  the  god  of  the  sea,  I  swear,"  said 
Wistaria. 


( 


46 


^^  »  ^y; ii -^ — =x=^: 


UK  air  was  balmy,  the  sky 
of  a  cerulean  blue,  the  Dew- 
droji  pardens  were  sweet  with 
a  strange  charm  and  mystery 
all  their  own.  Pebbles,  sand, 
and  stone,  were  cunninj^ly  dis- 
played and  miiifrlcd  to  create 
the  illusion  of  an  apjiroach 
to  a  giant  sea.  In  themselves 
the  wondrous  rocks  were  so 
fashioned  as  to  form  a  land- 
scape wherein  neither  foliage, 
trees,  nor  flowers  were  neces- 
sary. Small,  grotesque  bridges, 
made  of  rare  rocks  in  their  nat- 
ural form,  imdcfaccd  by  hammer 
or  chisel,  spanned  the  miniature 


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rivers,  which,  snalcililvO,  crept  ntul  threaded 
their  way  iti  iind  out  of  the  rock  island.  Sud- 
denly ai)|)eariuji  caverns  yawned  wide  a(.,r;,jH.', 
only  to  show  on  closer  approach  that  they  were 
nauffht  but  jrij^^antic  rocks,  hollow  within. 

Though  the  gardens  were  bare  of  foliaj^e, 
yet  the  spot  shone  (Hit  hke  a  jewel  set  in  a 
nia>;ic  river.  Here  was  the  perfection  of 
art,  that  art  so  coni|)lete  that  without  the 
very  thinj.js  of  nature  which  .seem  neces.sary 
to  a  land.scape,  the  cunnniLj  hand  of  man 
had  fashioned  the  like  out  ^  the  liard  and 
jai4).fed  substance  of  stone  ai  i  rock.  And  in 
this  the  hand  of  the  Cre.itor  had  aided,  since 
the  very  rocks  which  formed  this  i)recious 
and  priceless  island,  the  ])ride  and  wealth 
of  the  Lord  of  Catzu,  had  been  untouched  by 
the  tool  of  the  artisan,  for,  having  been  t^'ath- 
ered  toijether  from  all  jiarls  of  the  country, 
they  were  planted  in  their  natural  form  u|)on 
this  island  jewel. 

Across  the  narrow  river  the  shores  were 
preen,  while  beyond  the  silent  surface  of  the 
moats  the  f^ranite  walls  of  the  Catzu  i)alace 
rose  to  a  heip:ht,  white  and  stately,  tipj)ed  with 
golden  towers  and  i)eaks  that  were  taller  than 
the  cedars  and  the  i)ines  centuries  old. 

A  stir  of  expectation  thrilled  the  Dewdrop 
tea-house,  and  then  a  clear,  shrill  voice  cried 
aloud : 

"  The  Lady  Wistaria  passes  into  the  honor- 
able hall." 


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T;  e  twenty  >,a-ishas  prostrated  themselves 
.'it  my  la.ly's  feci.  «iracefiilly  she  returrietl 
their  courtesy,  Ix^^iiij,'  that  they  would  serve 
lur  and  her  auj^ust  ^uest,  the  L<jrd  Tominaga 
KiiUi,  with  refreshmiiit. 

'i'he  j,a'i^lias,  at  tl.is  ix>riod  in  histor>'  oc- 
eupyu.^'  a  hi^di  and  dij^antied  |M)sition  in  swi- 
ety,  expressed  their  wish  to  serve  their  lady 
for  the  rest  of  their  lives. 

They  broutcht  the  lovers  fresh  fruit,  shining 
and  I'l.scious,  and  drndi  froin  a  well  of  sweet- 
est and  purest  water.  Humbly  aindogizing 
for  the  honorable  meanness  of  the  refresh- 
ment, the  chief  geisha  prayed  that  they  would 
condescend  to  pardon  her.  for  not  even  in 
her  dreams  had  she  imagnied  that  the  gods 
Would  favor  her  .so  soon  in  the  season  with 
such  august  guests. 

Hut  the  lovers  only  smiled  Ix-ncvolently 
u|M)n  her,  and  insisted  that  never,  no,  never 
in  all  the  honorable  days  of  their  lives,  had 
they  been  blessed  with  more  gracious  refresh- 
ment. Whereat  the  geisha,  with  many  low, 
grateful  obeisances,  retired. 

The  lovers  sighed  as  in  one  breath. 

"Once  more  alone,"  said  Keiki,  blissfully 
reaching  over  the  little  table  and  laying  his 
own  hands  softly  up<in  those  of  the  girl  "  How 
gracious  the  gods!" 

"Of  a  truth,"  siud  Wistaria,  smiling  up  at 
him;  "we  must  repay  the  gfnls." 

"We    must,    indeed.     What    shall    we   do? 


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BiiiUl  a  thousand  ((.iiiplLS  to  —  well,  whidi 
one?" 

"  I  consitlerl"  quoth  Wistaria,  thinking  very 
seriously,  'riuii,  siuUlciily,  with  a  little,  sil- 
very lau)i(h:  "1  have  it.  Let  us  deify  my 
own  august  uncle.  Is  he  not  the  j^od  who 
Ix'friends  us?" 

"Not  eon.sciou.sly,"  said  Keiki,  "for  I  doubt 
not  my  Lord  of  Cat/u  would  fume  and  curse 
me  roundly  did  he  know  1  took  advantage 
of  his  honorable  disjKjsition  to  sleep." 

Wistaria  laughed  .softly. 

"  .\ow  I  am  (juile  ready  to  swear,"  she 
said,  "  that  of  late  my  hoiu.'  ible  uncle  is 
I)erfec(ly  conscious  when  he  .sleejjs." 

"  I'ray  tell  me,"  cried  Keiki,  starting. 

The  girl  nodded  merrily. 

"  Will  you  tell  me,  then,  how  it  is  jiossible 
for  one  to  fall  asleej)  in  a  small,  nxking 
l)oat  ?  Could  you  or  I  do  .so,  my  Lord 
Keiki''" 

"Oh,  not  you  or  I;  but  your  honorable 
uncle  is  divinely  lethargic." 

"Then,  my  lord,  he  is  but  lately  afTlicted." 

"  But  I  do  not  understand,  then — you  can- 
not mean —     Oh  no,  it  could  hardly  Ijo  so!" 

"And  why  not,  my  lord?  To  me  it  seems 
that  even  the  gods  must  needs  favor  you, 
mucn  more  an  honorable  mortal." 

"  Vour  uncle  favor  me!  It  cannot  be  jmls- 
sible." 

"It  is  ix)ssible.       It  is  so." 


^ 


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50 


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4 


"  Hut  he  has  been  acquainted  with  me  only 
for  the  past  six  days." 

"  And  does  it  take  a  year  for  favor  to  grow, 
when  love — " 

"Awakens  in  a  day  — an  hour,"  finished 
Keiki.  rapturously.  "  Xo,  I  can  see  how  it  is 
JM  sihlc,  but  I  tould  not  at  once  realize  my 
K(H)d-fortune.     Moreover — " 

Suddenly  he  broke  ofT  as  a  melancholy 
shadow  crept  across  his  brow,  troublinK  his 
eyes.     In  a  sudden  depression  he  bent  forward. 

"My  lord  is  troubled?  Speak  to  me 
quickly." 

"  Troubled?     Ves,  that  is  so,"  Keiki  sijtjhed. 

"  Then  do,  I  pray  you,  six'ak  your  trouble 
to  me, ' '  said  Wistaria.  Immediately  she  threw 
herself  at  his  feet,  restin/ij  her  hands  upon  his 
knees  and  raisinj.^  her  face  upward  to  his. 
Keiki  ttK»k  her  face  in  his  hands.  lie  looked 
deep  into  her  love-lit  eyes. 

"Ves,  I  will  tell  you,  little  Wistaria."  he 
said,  "  though  I  fear  you  are  already  acquaint- 
ed with  my  secret." 

"I  am  not,  indeed,"  she  denied. 

"You  do  not  know,"  he  asked,  sadly,  "that 
I  am  of  the  Mori  clan?" 

"Of  the  Mori  clan!  And  is  that  all  that 
troubles  you,  my  lord?" 

"And  is  not  that  suflTiciently  serious?" 

"  But  surely  you  must  be  aware  of  the  feud 
existing  between  the  Mori  and  Catzu  clans?" 

T  *..        T Z-^Z= 


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"  My  lord,  you  and  I  do  not  constitute  the 
Mori  and  Catzu  clans." 

"  Vou  and  1,"  he  repeated,  slowly,  "do  not 
constitute  the  Mori  and  Catzu  clans. "'  Then, 
after  a  silent  moment :  "  Alas,  my  lady,  I  fear 
we  do!" 

Wistaria  snatched  her  hands  quickly  froiTi 
his  and  arose.  Certainly  he  could  not  love 
her,  she  thought,  if  he  allowed  so  small  a 
thing  as  that  to  distress  him. 

"  If  that  be  so — if  that  is  what  you  think, 
my  lord,  deign  to  inform  me  why  you  have 
condescended  to  make  suit  to  me?" 

"  I  was  forced  to  make  my  suit  in  secret," 
he  said,  almost  bitterly. 

"But  your  love  is  honest,  is  it  not?" 

"Oh,  my  flower-girl,  can  you  ask  that?" 

She  was  contrite  in  a  moment.  Once  more 
she  was  at  his  feet,  kneeling,  and  pressing 
both  his  hands  with  her  little,  slender,  ner- 
vous fingers. 

"Nay,  then,  do  not  look  so  sad,  my  Keiki. 
It  troubles  me  that  you  should  allow  so  silly 
a  thing  as  the  differences  of  our  res|X'ctive 
clans  even  for  a  fraction  of  a  moment  to  come 
between  us." 

"They  cannot  truly  come  between  us," 
was  his  fervid  reply,  "for  no  ]X)wer  on  earth 
can  actually  sei)arate  us  now.  Are  we  not 
sworn  to  each  other  for  all  time — for  all  eter- 
nity?" 

"Then  why  be  so  sad?    Vou,  who  arc  so 

■       *  I  J 


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brave,  cannot  fear  the  dangers  that  may  be- 
set our  union." 

"  No,  no,  it  is  not  that.  But — I  sigh  for 
tlie  tears  of  others — our  honorable  ancestors 
and  piirents. " 

"  Tlien  do  cea.se  to  sigli  at  once,  if  you  please. 
Why,  it  is  not  such  a  terrible  crime  to  marry 
a  Mori,  surely!" 

"  Xo,  I  hoix3  not,"  said  Keiki,  smiling  now. 

"No,  indeed,  for  my  own  honorable  uncle 
committed  thai  .same  fault." 

"Fault?" 

"  And  I  believe  that  if  we  were  to  go  to  him, 
and  tell  him  the  honorable  truth,  he  would 
gladly  assist  us." 

"Not  if  he  knew  all,"  said  Keiki,  sadly. 
"Xo,  he  must  know  nothing  yet." 

"Indeed,"  .said  V'-taria,  "I  did  not  know 
the  feeling  of  the  Ai  >.i  was  so  bitter  against 
us,  and  I  do  assure  you  tha*  in  Catzu  the 
l)rejudice  exists  ngt  .so  much  against  your 
clan,  as  aeainst  your  lord  and  prince." 

".'Mas,  that  is  too  true!"  answered  Keiki, 
lialf  under  his  breath. 

"Well,  a  courtier's  loyalty  to  his  Prince 
need  not  at  all  lie  shaken  if  he  marry  the  in- 
significant niece  of  a  rival  clan.  My  own 
honorable  father  was  of  that  very  clan  him- 
self.    Know  you  not  that,  my  lord?" 

Keiki  groaned  suddenly.  Whereat  the  girl 
[ilaced  her  hands  on  his  shoulders  and  forced 
him  to  look  into  her  eves. 


53 


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"  Mj'  lord,"  she  said,  "do  you  know  auj^^it 
of  !iiy  father's  history?" 

Slowly  Kciki  drew  himself  up  from  her 
clinj^'injf  hands.  PlacinK  f»iie  arm  close  about 
her,  he  drew  her  to  his  breast. 

"  Let  us  no  louj^^er  talk  of  these  distressful 
matters." 

"  Xa\',  I  have  asked  you  a  question.  Do, 
I  beseech  you,  answer  me." 

"What  can  I  say?"  His  voice  was  very 
low. 

"Tell  me  of  my  father — prav'  tell  mc,"  she 
imjjlored,  almost  piteously. 

"Of  your  father?  But  surely  I  can  tell  you 
nothin/^  that  you  do  ncjt  already  know?" 

"  I  know  nauj.jht  of  my  father,  save  that 
he  was  a  Choshui  samurai,  and  for  sotiie 
honorable  offence  was  banished  Ijy  that  wick- 
ed and  cruel  Prince  of  Mori." 

Keiki  was  silent. 

"  I  have  questioned  every  one  about  mc — 
m\'  uncle,  his  samurai,  the  very  servants 
about  the  castle — but  none  will  make  answer 
to  me,  whether  from  ignorance  or  by  command 
of  tho.se  in  authority  over  them,  I  know  not. 
Do  you,  then,  my  lover,  answer  me." 

"Mv  little  flower -pirl,  I  do  not  know  the 
offence  of  your  hotiorable  father,  nor  do  I 
know  why  or  wherefore  he  was  sent  into 
exile.  I  was  but  a  child  of  five  when  this 
penalty  came  u|ion  him." 

"Then  wherefore  did  vou  tremble  and  turn 


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WE.WOOjriG  Of?  Vi5TAR»A 


ciway  your  eyes  when  I  spoke  of  my  honor- 
able parent?" 

"  Because  I  know  that  injurj'  of  some  sort 
was  wrouj^ht  against  your  honorable  parent 
bj'  my — by  the  Mori,  and  since  then  so  im- 
placable an  enmity  exists  between  our  families 
that  nothinfj  but  bUxxl  alone  can  ever  wijx; 
away  the  stiiin.  Think,  then,  of  the  wronj^j 
I  do  your  father  in  loving  his  own  daughter  I" 

"No,  no  —  dear  Keiki  —  it  is  no  wrong,  I 
do  assure  you.  If  there  be  a  feud  existing 
between  my  father  and  the  Mori  Prince,  truly 
you  and  I,  who  are  inn(x:ent,  cannot  \)C  im- 
l)licated  in  any  way,  and,  indeed,  it  is  not  as 
if  I  were  about  to  wed  one  of  the  Mori  family 
itself,  but—" 

"  In  that  case,"  he  interrupted,  quickly, 
"if  I  were  indeed  of  this  Mori  family,  what 
then?" 

I'^or  a  moment  the  girl  recoiled,  shrinking 
backward,  and  regarded  him  with  frightened, 
shocked  CV'  s. 

"That — would — be — impossible,"  she  said, 
and  she  shivered  with  api)rehcnsion. 

"If  it  were  jx)ssible?"  said  the  lover, 
hoarsely. 

"It  could  not  be,"  she  insisted,  "for  the 
Mori  princes  are  proud  and  ill-favored,  wliile 
you—" 

"  While  I?" 

" — You  are  more  beautiful  than  the  sun- 


U      g.Kl." 


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g'r^.'h'f^-'^^-     -■f';» 


^L^z:^ 


■* 


— ^r-        ^  -y — 


"  But  you  have  not  answered  nie.  Suppose 
it  were— Prince  Keiki,  the  heir  of  Mori,  who 
wcKXJcl  you?" 

"I  cannot,  my  lord.  Oh,  the  Prince  is 
otherwise  occupied  than  in  wanderinu;  with 
love,"  re[)lied  Wistaria,  sniilint,^  at  the  thought. 
"Why,  he  is  the  head  of  a  wicked  i)arty  of 
Inij)crialists,  I  have  ofttiines  heard  my  uncle 
declare,  and  is  the  most  cunniiu;  and  base  fer- 
mentcr  of  intrigue  against  our  august  Sho- 
gun  in  the  whole  empire.  Indeed,  he  has  no 
time  or  inclination  for  dallying  with  love." 

"But — if  I  were  indeed  he,  what  then?" 

"Why,  then  —  then,"  said  the  girl,  slowly 
rising,  and  regarding  him  with  shining  eyes, 
"then  still  I  would  say,  'Take  me.'  What 
have  we  to  do  with  the  quarrels  of  our 
ancestors,  the  wrongs  or  the  rights  of  our 
honorable  parents?  Vou  and  I  are  under  the 
sheltering  wings  of  the  god  of  love.  We  rec- 
ognize no  law  of  country,  lord,  or  kindred. 
Let  us  go  into  the  mountains  together  and 
find  refuge  in  a  cottage  where  we  can  live 
and  love  in  yK'acc. " 

"Oh,  thou  dear  one!"  he  cried. 

"  But  why  suggesl  such  a  horribie  po.ssi- 
bility?"  she  continutxl,  tremulously.  "Thou 
art  not  that  base  and  traitorous  Prince?  Thou 
art—" 

"Thy  love!     That  is  all,"  he  said. 


^ 


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N  the  joy  and  sunshine  of 
Wistaria's  nature,  wliich  would 
have  driven  sadness  from  the 
soul  of  a  hermit.  Reiki's  mel- 
ancholy was  evanescent.  Her 
lover's  fears  at  the  mere  [xxssi- 
hility  of  their  beinjij  forced  ai)art 
were  st)on  dissiik'ited  by  her. 

A  week  i)a.ssed  —  s])ed  like 
so  many  minutes.  The  i)ale 
ffreen  of  the  sj)rinej  j^^rass  was 
deepenint::  in  hue  and  the  trees 
were  in  leaf.  The  lovers  lin- 
fs^ered  in  the  paths  that  led 
down  to  the  little  boat-house, 
whence  each  day  they  sailed 
slowly   down    the    river    to    the 


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rock  island.  There  in  the  \ixzy,  drifliiiK  boat, 
the  drowsy  Lord  (^f  Cutzu  dosed  back  aj^^ainst 
his  packled  seat,  while  the  lovers  looked  into 
each  other's  eyes,  or  furtively  i)ressed  each 
other's  hands. 

Meanwhile  their  short  hours  of  happiness 
were  bein^f  slowly  ticked  off  by  the  j;<xl  of 
love,  at  whose  shrine  they  had  offered  the 
whole  wealth  of  their  hearts.  The  days 
of  their  joy  were  numbered.  That  strange 
honey  of  bliss  they  si|)i)ed  so  greedily  was 
soon  to  be  sn£itched  Ironi  their  lips. 

The  Lady  Eveninjf  (ilory  was  recovering 
slowly  from  her  indisiH)sition.  Because  the 
lady  herself  had  contracted  a  most  wilful  and 
romantic  marriage,  she  was  |x:rhai)S  the  more 
susj)icious  of  the  culi)ability  of  others.  She 
trusted  neither  youth  nor  maid,  but  Wistaria 
bore  the  weight  of  her  suspicions. 

While  gossi])  and  idle  chatter  had  stolen 
into  the  lady's  chamber  concerning  the  charms 
and  grace  of  their  whilom  guest.  Wistaria's 
almost  extravagant  solicitude  for  her  set  my 
lady  at  first  to  thiidiing,  and  then  to  acting. 

The  I^ady  Evening  (ilory  was  no  believer 
in  the  worship  of  the  sun.  Nevertheless, 
some  garrulous  maid  having  carried  to  her 
the  inncxent  remark  of  her  niece  that  she 
enjoyed  viewing  the  rising  of  the  sun,  a  few 
mornings  later  found  the  Lady  Evening 
Cilory  not  only  arising  before  the  sun,  but 
wending  her  way  through  the  silent  corridors 


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of  the  palace  until  she  was  before  the  chamber 
of  the  Lady  Wistaria.  Without  so  much  as  a 
tap  for  admission,  she  softly  pushed  aside 
the  slidin^r  shoji. 

With  the  keenest  of  lover's  ears,  Wistaria 
heard  the  faint  shir-r-r  made  ]>y  the  slidini,' 
doors,  hi  the  .same  instant  down  went  her 
own  shutter.  So  wlien  the  Lady  Evemnj,' 
(ilory  entered  the  chamber  she  found  her 
niece  sitting'  on  the  floor,  her  back  set  stiffly 
a-ainst  her  ca.sement  shutter,  and  a  deep 
rosy  coloring'  all  over  her  face.  Her  K"ihy 
eyes  fell  before  the  cold  glare  of  her  august 
aunt. 

The  next  thing  the  Lady  Evening  Glory's 
sharp  eyes  fell  u{)on  were  the  flowers.  They 
lay  in  a  great,  tumbled  mass  all  about  the 
Lady  Wistaria.  There  was  no  mistaking  the 
meaning  of  tho.se  tell-tale  blos.soms.  The  Lady 
Evemng  Glory's  lips  became  a  thin,  punsed 
line. 

"The  flowers?    Whence  came  they?" 
''From   the   honorable   garden,"   answered 
AMstaria,  trembling. 

"There  is  no  tree  in  all   the  garden  with 
blossoms  in  full  bloom.     They  are  only  com- 
mencing to  bud,  and  will  not  blossom  before 
^    the  first  of  Ajjril." 

To  this  undeniable  fact  Wistaria  made  no 
r*.  s|K)nse. 

"  Answer  when  thou  art  Sfxtken  to,"  prompt- 
4     cd  her  aunt,  sharply. 


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^^ 


-8 


"My  lady — I  do  not  know  whiit  to  sas'." 

"  Then  you  leave  nie  to  my  own  conjectures. 
Wm  have  a  lover." 

"  Oh  no,  indeed!" 

"What!  i'lowers  fre.^h  with  the  niornniK 
dew  in  >()iir  chamber,  and  you  with  your 
hair  unlx'und!  I'ray  when  did  it  become 
an  honorable  fashion  for  ladies  of  our  rank 
to  venture  out  to  j)urchase  tlowers  before 
sunrise — and  in  such  scanty  attire?" 

"My  aunt,  you  are  kilhni;  me." 

"  \'our  health  appears  to  me  to  be  far  from 
feeble." 

"1  am  innocent  of  any  wronu,"  said  Wis- 
taria, with  a  flash  of  sitint. 

"Then  you  will  not  object  to  inform  mc 
who  presented  you  with  these  (lowers?" 

"An  honorable  Kcnlleman/'  said  Wistaria. 

"  Indeed !  And  what  is  this  honorable 
geiUleman's  name,  may   I  ask?" 

Wistaria  hesitated.  Then  a  sudden  idea 
came  to  her.     She  smiled  mysteriously. 

"Hut  I  do  not  know  his  name,  '  she  said, 
which  was  (piite  true,  as  she  was  unaware 
of  her  lover's  true  name. 

"  Vou  do  not  kncnv  the  name  of  your  lover!" 
cried  her  aunt,  incredulously. 

"  Indeed,  I  wish  I  did." 

"Vet  you  acce])t  his  ^'iiil  You  are  en- 
tirely without  shame,  ^irl!" 

"Oh,  lady!  the  flowers  were  so  beautiful 
I  could  not  resist  them." 


3^: 

to 


r' 


m^ 


■-■^3nr^^'^- 


.-f-n 


^     TO£>WOO]NG  Of?  V/iSTAPJA     n 


J 


"  Hcautiful!"  .shricUcd  her  aunt.  "And  be- 
cause llowers  are  beaulilul,  is  tliat  an  excuse 
for  accei)tinK'  the  love  of  some  impudent  ad- 
venturer?" 

"Acceptint,^  the  love!"  rei)cated  Wistaria, 
falterinir. 

"  Ves,  indeed,  and  \-ou  need  not  pretend  iu- 
norance  of  my  words.  They  are  ciuifo  clear  to 
you,  I  have  no  douht. " 

"  But—" 

"  Vou  are  well  aware  that  by  acccjUint,'  the 
flowers  you  also  accept  his  despicable  love, 
and  practically  betroth  yourself  to  this  fellow. 
He  shall  be  flo^Lced  for  his  im|)ertinence. " 

"Floi^'^ed!"  cried  Wistaria,  becoming  verv 
pale. 

"FlofTcred,  I  rei)cat,"  said  her  aunt,  coldly. 

Wistaria  shivered  with  apprehension.  She 
had  not  until  now  i^^rasjK'd  the  real  seriousness 
of  her  iH)sition. 

Voi'.r  father,"  continued  the  Ladv  Evenintj 
fllory,  "shall  be  sent  for  this  day.  "  We  shall 
sec  what  those  in  authority  over  you  think 
of  your  conduct." 

The  aunt  had  but  to  mention  the  father  to 
fill  Wistaria  with  fear.  She  sprantz  to  her 
feet  and  stood  trembling  amom;  the  scat- 
tered blo.ssoms. 

"  I  am  guilty  of  no  wron^,^  I  do  assure  j-ou, 
my  lady  aunt.  But  I  aro.se  to  enjoy  the  .siin's 
awakening,  and— and  I  did  find  these  honor- 
able fl.nvers  on  my  sill,  and  indeed  they  spoke 


ui 


:l 


T' 


i 


i 


: ^. ^ V .T- 


^ 


i.. 


r 


* 


4 


to  !iic  of — of  tilt'  coitiMiu  sumTiiLT^atul  so  many 
thinus,  dear  aunt,  that  1  was  fain  to  taUc 
thciii  m." 

"T'lcn  do.  jiray,  my  little  dove,  inform 
me  what  you  know  eoiKernin^  this  pre- 
sumptuous fellow  who  i)laced  them  on  your 
sill/' 

"Oh,  my  lady,  he  is  indeed  honorably 
iiohle. " 

"Indeed!" 

"1  do  assure  you.  lie  is — "  she  b'-f>ke  ofT, 
l)ainfully  dehatinn  in  her  mind  tht  wisdom 
of  confessing  the  truth  to  her  aunt. 

"He  is — ?"  repeated  her  aunt. 

"Our  own  august  j^uest." 

"Ah — hoi  Then,  it  that  is  .so,  you  siK^ke 
<i  lie  just  a  moment  since  when  you  said  j'ou 
did  not  know  your  lover's  name." 

Wistaria  attemjjted  to  sjteak,  hut  broke  off, 
faltering  and  stammerinti  piteou.sly. 

"May  I  inquire,  then,"  continued  her  aunt, 
relentles.sly,  "whether  you  are  unacquainted 
with  the  honorable  name  of  our  august 
j,niest?" 

"Oh,  my  lady.  I  do  believe  that  — that  he 
assumed  aiiother — only — just  for  the  inntKcnt 
romance  of  wooing  me  imder  an  a.ssiuned 
title." 

"So!  And  pray  how  comes  it,  then,  that 
my  son's  honorable  guest  .should  al.so  ha])|)en 
to  be  your  lover?  If  in  order  to  woo  you  he 
came  hither   under  an   assumed   name,   then 


^ 


'r: 


02 


X 


■mmp 


:^rt^. 


Czij! 


T/1E  >V'OOjr^G  Off  Vi^TARlA 


^-. 


MIC   i>rcvit»us 


it   would   scvin   lh.it   you   had   .S( 
iic(iuaiiitaricc  with  liiiu?" 

"lie  followvd  our  c<.rt;!^:c  from   Vctlo,  nia- 
damc,"  cotifcssfd  the  unhappy  j^rjrl. 


\\  hat!    Vou  do  not 


is  that  insolent  M 


mean  to  tell  me  that  ht 


<»nly  after  my  arrival  h()me? 


on  eourtier  of  whom  i  heard 


I  I'ressed  her  hands  tit''  'ly  to^cth 


SI 

raised  her  head  with  almost  defiant   h 


ler. 


Wislari 

le    seemed    overcome.      Then    s ddenFy    sh 

ra\  ery 


said. 


'He'   is    of    the    Ah)ri    cl, 


m,    madame. 


she 


Tlie  Mori   clan  I' 


shrill: 
Urounds?' 


How  came  he,   tl 


li     lady's   V 


dice  rose 
len,    to  enter  our 


' 


11 


e   came,   my   la  ly,  hv  ihe   south   riv 


where  there  is  a  hreak  in  th 

"  Hut  how  could  he  I, 
tliat  at  once." 


er. 


e  v.al 


now  this?    Answer  me 


W  ill  you  deii4;n  to  inform  me  wheth 


ir  as   to  answer  the  I 


ler  vou 


ove 


condescended    so  f; 

letters  of  this  yountr  man.  for  I  have  no  doubt 

he  favored  you  with  manv?" 

said 


- 


I  wrote  only  one  insij,'nificant  rep] 


Wistarij 


i'ly 


ply?' 


And  what,  [)ray,  did  you  sav  in  this 


re- 


"I  implored  him   to  follow  us  no  farther, 
I   besought   him   to   k'wc   up   the   imix»ssible 


exploit  of  entering'  our  j^rounds.  and.  kn 


lOW- 


mi 


^  what  would  be  his  fate  if  he  attc^ipted  to 


3E: 


3C: 


I. 


Sil^iJ^l' 


TOE-M/oojiNC  or  V^iSTAFJA 


a= 


X 


=5^3 


t 


I3E: 
64 


(l(t  so,  I  .ilso  informed  liiiii  that  if  he  must  in- 
(krd  ctitcr,  to  do  so  hy  way  of  the  south  river, 
thai  a  iM)rtioii  of  our  urouiids  ran  down  to 
this  honoraltlc  nvtr  and  was  unprotected  by 
the  walls,  which  otherwise  surrounded  us  on 
ail   sides." 

"So  it  seems  that  you  have  betrayed  to  our 
enemy  the  weakness  of  our  condition?" 

"  .\ot  an  enemy,  lady!     He  is  not,  indeed." 

"And    may    I    ask    how    your    redoubtable 
lover,  having  gained  entrance  to  our  (grounds,      J 
also  contrived  to  wedue  his  way  into  the  pal- 
ace and  become  a  j.ruest  of  our  hospitality?" 

"Toro— "  faltered   Wistaria. 

Her  aunt's  face  flamed. 

"Toro,   he  discovered   him   the   first  morn- 
iuLT,  and — and — thev  became  friends  at  once." 

"My  .son!" 

"Oh  yes.  madame,  and  on  my  two  knees,  I 
am  prepared  to  betr  you  to  show  him  mercy  " 

"  Keep  your  knees,  my  young  lady,  to  beg 
mercy    for    your.self.     V.>u    may    have    need     ' 
of  it  ere  long,"  said  her  aunt,  with  chilling 
irony. 


--+ 


ROM     the     insinuations     and 
threats   of   the   Lady    Eveninn 
4f'j<>ry    it    niiKht     seem    as    if 
Wistaria's    lover    were    in    im- 
minent  danger,  and    that    the 
Catzu  family  might  he  expect- 
ed to  hasten   instantly   to  cast 
hmi    out    from    their    province 
or  have  him  imprisoned   as  a 
trcsjvisser   and   imix)stor.     But 
Jajjanese  craft  is  more  subtle 
Besides,  the  right  of  judgment     i 
lay  in  the  hands  of  the  father 
of  Wistaria,  who  was  her  natu- 
ral and  legal  guardian.     It  was 
necessary,    therefore,    that    the 
young    man    should,    for    the 


Sv^^S^^^a^^^^^k^^^?^^'-^ 


■^asammm  .3¥Mmm 


^ 


t- 


*1 


r^ 


M 


1 ^1^ XI 


:3E: 


of  his  mistress,  had  no  heart  or  ears  for  the 
words  of  coiiiplimciit  pressed  ujxjn  him  by 
her  family. 

He  s])eTil  his  time  rovinjr  restlessly  about  the 
grounds  of  the  palace  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Wistaria's  easement,  but  the  blinds  were 
drawn  ti^ditly,  moruinc,  noon,  and  niffht, 
and  there  was  only  the  memory  of  the  girl's 


66 


^ 


> 


time  beinti,  j^ather  no  suspicion  of  their  dis- 
covery. Consequently  the  Catzu  fanuly  re- 
doubled their  cxi)ressions  of  good -will  and 
friendship  for  their  guest,  while  the  only  one 
who  could  have  warned  him  was  placed 
where  she  was  helpless  to  do  so. 

With  excessive  sweetness,  the  Lady  Evening 
Glory  informed  the  courtier  that  she  had 
heard  such  go(Kl  reix)rts  of  him  from  her 
honorable  husband  that  she  had  risen  pre- 
maturely from  her  bed  of  sickness  in  order 
to  greet  him  and  assure  him  of  her  solicitii- 
tion  for  his  comfort  and  pleasure  during  his 
stay  in  Catzu. 

All  these  marks  of  friendship  and  compli- 
ment from  the  honorable  lady  of  the  house, 
besides  the  increased  cordiality  of  the  Lord 
of  Catzu,  would  have  been  very  delightful  to 
the  lover,  but  for  the  fact  that  almost  coin- 
cident with  the  return  to  health  of  her  aunt 
it  was  announced  that  the  Lady  Wistaria 
was  unable  to  leave  her  apartments  because 
of  a  sudden  illness.  The  lover,  therefore, 
in  an  agcmy  of  apprehension  for  the  health 


IP 


Oifcli ^         —  -r   zzEzzz: 


^ 


*^ 


X:: 


* 


exquisite  face  at  iV      '  ndow  to  torture  the 
lover. 

The  arrival  of  Sh.  zu,  the  father  of  the 
Lady  Wistaria,  createil  no  stir  in  the  Catzu 
I)alace.  He  came  silcmly  at  ni'^dit.  If  any 
of  the  servants  or  members  of  the  household 
knew  of  his  presence  they  were  dumb  con- 
cerning the  matter.  The  lover,  consecjuently, 
was  wliolly  unaware  of  nis  comiiiff. 

Shi  mad 'u  was  closeted  for  some  hours 
with  his  sister  and  brother-in-law.  The  Lady 
Evening  (ilory  was  bitter  against  her  niece. 
Not  merely  the  fact  of  the  indelicate  and  un- 
conventional manner  of  the  courtship,  nor 
even  the  fact  that  the  lover  was  a  member 
of  their  rival  clan,  and  through  his  residence 
among  them  iiuist  have  actpiired  information 
concerning  their  province  which  would  be 
of  value  to  his  prince — not  these  things  in- 
furiated her  so  nmch  as  the  thought  that  her 
son,  the  pride  and  joy  of  her  life,  the  heir  of 
Catzu,  had  been  led  by  this  stranger  into  an 
/  undertaking  both  {)erilous  and  shameful,  the 
outcome  of  which  was  most  uncertain. 

The  Lord  of  Catzu  was  milder  and  more 

lenient   towards   the   guilty    parties,    ])ossibly 

realizing   in   his   inmost   soul   a   measure   of 

{^    the  resjKinsibility.     He  endeavored  to  palliate 

their  offence. 

As  for  Shi  mad  zu  himself,  he  had  not  one 
word  to  say.  He  listened  to  the  se[>arate 
s|x>eches   of   his   sister   and   brother-in-law. 


H 


4^ 


X 


5: 


f 


67 


T" 


„    TOE  .VOojiNG  Of  ViSTAR) A 

rr  jhlf iz^  — H  ^P rr: 


.-i 


± 


i 


■« 


t 


and  when  ihey  had  cnnchidcd  he  simply  re- 
quested that  his  daughter  be  ordered  into  his 
presence  at  once. 

Wild  -  eyed  and  trembling'.  Wistaria  was 
l}r()Ui,dit  in.  (Jone  from  her  face,  ])ale  and 
drawn  with  the  intensity  of  her  sufferings, 
was  all  the  sun.  During  the  three  days  pre- 
ceding the  arrival  of  her  father  she  had  been 
locked  up  alone  in  an  interior  r(jom  of  the 
I)alace.  Xo  one  had  api)roached  save  her 
august  aunt,  who  brought  fo(Kl  with  her 
own  h-'inds,  and  who.se  absolute  silence  in- 
s])ired  her  with  a  great  dread.  She  would 
si)eak  no  word,  or  even  deign  to  l(K)k  at  the 
unhapi)y  girl.  Wistaria,  rendered  frantic  by 
her  fears  for  her  lover,  had  ofttimes  thrown 
her.self  at  her  aunt's  feet,  jnteously  beseeching 
that  she  would  enlighten  her  as  to  the  fate  of 
her  lover.  But  the  Lady  Eveiing  filory  would 
shake  her  skirts  icily  and  contemptuou.sly 
from  her  grasj),  to  retire  without  a  word  of 
res]K>nse. 

\ow  Wistaria  i)rostrated  herself  before  the 
parent  who  had  always  insj)ired  her  with 
such  inconii)rehensible  fear.  He  motioned 
her  to  be  seated,  though  he  himself  remained 
standing.  Mutely,  mechanically,  she  obeyed 
him. 

I-'or  a  moment  there  was  silence.  The  deej> 
set  eyes  of  the  father  looked  out  at  the  yoving 
girl,  noting  the  piteous  tremble  of  the  hands, 
the    small,  bowed    head,   the    down -drcHijied 


3: 


(hS 


X 


g-y-^ 


7^ 


k 


THE  .WOOjr^G  op  VJSTAFJA     n 

%  :n=: — ^  T itJii 


eyes  which  dared  not  meet  his  own,  and  all 
the  other  evidences  of  her  sufferings.  What- 
ever the  thoughts  of  the  father,  whether  mer- 
ciful or  cruel,  his  ii| missive  face  revealed  not 
his  iimer  feelings.  In  some  strange  way  this 
samurai  seemed  steeled  against  the  jwiin  of 
the  world  itself.  Suddenly  he  sfxjke,  his  hol- 
low voice  snuting  with  a  shock  the  frail,  highly 
strung  girl. 

"My  daughter,  had  you  a  nw-ther  t.-  love 
and  guide  you,  you  would  not.  now  be  un- 
hap])y. " 

lie  jvuLscd  to  note  the  effect  of  his  strange 
words— strange  because  of  the  lack  of  emotion 
and  symi)iahy  that  should  have  accompanied 
them.  Wistaria  raised  her  head  pauifully, 
but  she  did  not  sjx^ak. 

"Tlicrefore,"  continued  her  father,  "I  wi.sh 
to  inform  you  that  it  is  because  of  an  enemy 
that  you  are  now  motherless,  and  therefore 
misguided. 

"An  enemy"'"  rcjx^ated  Wisla.ia,  dully. 

"  And  It  is  to  take  my  revenge  ufxin  this 
cnemv  that  I  am  now  about  to  impo.se  a  cer- 
tain duty  up<m  you  winch  may  at  first  seem 
repugnant.  Before  I  do  .so,  however,  I  wish 
to  remind  you  that  you  come  of  a  proud  and 
heroic  race,  iny  daughter,  no  member  of  which 
has  ever  faltered  in  his  duly.  I  would  there- 
fore, my  daughter,  much  rather  .sec  you  strong 
and  fearless  than  weak  and  trembling,  as  you 
now  apix?ar. " 


09 


I 


a 


TOE-VOOji^GOf  VJSTARIA 


3C 


4 


Raising  herself  bravely,  with  a  superhuman 
effort  the  ^ui  ^rasiH-'d  at  her  strength  of  will. 

"  My  weakness,  honorable  father,  is  but 
physical.  SiK'ak  your  august  will  with  me," 
she  .said. 

"That  is  well,"  returned  the  samurai,  brief- 
ly. "  1  have  a  few  (juestions  first  of  all  to  put 
to  you  1  need  not  say  that  I  ex|K'Ct  truthful 
answers,  and  will  tolerate  no  j)revarication." 

The  girl  bowed  her  head  with  a  certain 
dignitv  of  subinissivene.ss. 

"Of  what  rank  is  your  lover?" 

Wistaria  trembled. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  she  rei)lied,  in  a  low  voice. 

"He  has  not  mentioned  his  rank  to  you?" 

"Only  that  he  was  of  honorably  insignif- 
icant rank." 

"lhun]>h!  Well,  that  is  but  a  natural  re- 
ply.     What   is  his  ai)j)earance?" 

For  a  brief  moment  a  gleam  of  strange 
pride  came  over  her  face.  She  pres.sed  her 
little  hands  passionately  together. 

"Oh,  my  father,  he  is  honorably  noble,  I 
do  assure  you.     He  jnxssesses — " 

"  1  did  not  ask  for  a  rhaps(xly  ui^^n  his  mer- 
its," interrupted  the  .'samurai,  coldly.  "How- 
ever. 1  am  satisfied  as  to  his  rank." 

.\  tiar  fell  .softly  upon  her  little  hand.  Fecl- 
iuL',  rather  than  seeint'.  her  father's  iiritation, 
.she  Itr'.ished  it  away  impatiently,  trying  \ain- 
ly  to  a]>i>ear  l>rave. 

"  \ow,"  re-;imed  Shimadzu,  half  to  himself. 


3= 


X:: 


70 


X 


MttJ 


* 


S: 


"if  he  is  of  noble  rank  it  follows  that  he  is 
close  to  the  Mori  family.     \  ery  good." 

I^Ie  turned  to  his  clauj,^hler 

"He  is  a  go«xl  IiiijKrialist?" 

"He  IS  honorably  loyal,"  she  replied. 

"Loyal  to  his  pruice,  you  mean,  or  his 
party?" 

"Surely  to  both.  He  could  not  he  other- 
wise. He  is  a  brave  and  ue  ji-ntlenian, 
my  father." 

"  \  ery  well,  I  have  no  more  questions  to 
ask  you.  I  .shall  now  oulhne  to  you  the  duty 
I  have  prepared  for  ,  ou.  Von  are  ready  to 
obey  my  will?" 

"  In  all  thinjj    .  honore<]  parent." 
That   IS  Well.     I   roniniend   you   for  your 
filial  words.     First  of  all,  I  desire  all  [X).ssiblc 
information    concerning    the    voung    heir    of 
Mori." 

"But—"  she  faltered,  "how  is  it  possible 
or  mc — ^ 

"Vour  lover,"  said  her  father,  quickly, 
"is  a  Mori  courtier.  There  i.s  no  doubt  he 
will  give  you  all  the  information   I  reriuire  " 

"Oh.  llu-n,  my  father,"  she  cried,  elaspitig 
her  hands  together,  "you  will  be  lenient  tow- 
ards him,  will  you  not?  V.^u  will  i>eniiit 
him  to  .see  me''" 

"  I  have  nothing  against  your  lover,"  said 
her  father,  with  .slight  irritation. 

"Oh  father'"  In  a  mcment  her  face  was 
aglow  with  hoix;  and  happiness. 


a: 


X 


X 


;t3 


ar:i: 


'Si 


^ 


k 


"  I  advise  j'ou  to  listen  to  nie,"  he  rejoined, 
coldly. 

"SiH-ak!  si)cal<,  aumist  father!  I  will  fol- 
low your  coiiiMuinds  faithfully,  joyfully." 

"  I  wish  to  know  the  nature  of  this  prince, 
his  habits,  his  nuKle  of  life,  and  the  esteem 
in  which  he  is  held  by  his  jjeople.  Once 
you  have  learned  these  facts,  you  must  secure 
for  me  specific  details  concerning  his  political 
schemes  against  the  Shogun. 

(Iradually  Wistaria  had  risen  to  her  feet. 
She  had  grown  strangely  pale.  Her  eyes 
were  frightened  and  apprehensive. 

"  You  desire,"  she  reiK'ated,  slowly, as  though 
she  scarce  comi)rehended  the  word.s — "  you  de- 
sire to  know  the  secrets  of  —  of  his  honorable 
party?" 

"Exactly." 

"V<-ii  desire,"  she  began  to  reiK-at,  "to 
know  the  .secrets — " 

"More  than  that." 

"  More.  You — you — my  father,  you  would 
not  injure  his — his  party?" 

"  \'f)ur  ai)prehension,  my  lady,  for  a  hostile 
party,  is  strange  for  one  of  your  training. 
Are  you,  then,  turned  Im|)erialist?" 

"  \o.  I  have  no  fear  for  my.'^elf,  my  lord. 
Hut  he  —  he  —  You  must  understand,  my 
lord,  he  believes  in  —  loves  his  honorable 
])arty — whether  right  or  wrong.  1  would  not 
injure  it  because  of  his  sake." 

"  I    ha\  e   had    enough   of    tills    weakness, 

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my  dauiLjlitcr,  and   you   must  admit   I   have 

i^    been  i»atient.     To  relieve  your  mind,  however, 

of  one  thing,  I  will  inform  you  that  I  have 

^    no  desij^'ns   against   either   tlus   young   man 

or  his  party." 

"Oh,  you  lift  from  my  heart,  my  honored 
parent,  a  weight  too  heavy  for  me  to  bear." 

"I'ugh!     It  seems  you  are  determined  not 
to  listen  to  my  orders." 

"Sjvak  at  once.     I  will  not  again  interrupt 
you. " 

"  \'ery  u(mh1.  While  I  have  said  I  have 
ni.lhing  against  this  Im|)erialist  party,  I  am, 
nevertheless,  desirous  of  knowing  all  their 
plans  and  secrets,  li  will  lie  your  duty,  there- 
fore, to  ascertain  these  for  me.  Do  not  inter- 
rupt—" as  she  made  as  if  to  sjK'ak.  "You 
w-Hild  say  your  lover  is  too  loyal  to  betray  his 
party  secrets,  even  to  you.  Then  you  will  use 
your  wit  to  conii)el  him  to  do  so."  ' 

"I— I  will  do  so,"  she  replied,  drearily. 
"  That  is  not  all.  I  wish  you  to  ffirce  your 
lover  into  lietraying  some  scheme  or  intrigue 
of  his  prince  which  would,  if  brought  to  the 
attention  of  the  Shogun,  implicate  him  crim- 
inally. Xow  I  have  arrived  at  my  chief  de- 
sire—in  other  words,  I  wish  to  accomf)Iish  the 
ruin— the  death  of  the  Prince  of  Mori." 

Wistaria's  head  swam  in  vertigo.  She 
•scarce  could  think  or  feel.  Only  one  horrible 
thought  hammered  itself  into  her  mind.  By 
the  cajolery  and  arts  of  a   false  woman  she 


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was  to  assist  in  the  betrayal  of  the  prince 
to  whom  her  lover  had  sworn  allegiance. 
It  was  revolting,  cruel,  horril)le.  The  mere 
thought  of  it  made  her  head  whirl  in  dizziness. 

When  she  attempted  to  si)eak.  her  words 
escajx'd  her  slowly  in  gasps. 

"I  can— not— do— that!" 

A  terrible  expression  came  into  her  father's 

face. 

"  You  dare  defy  my  authority?"  he  shouted. 

"Oh,  my  father,  put  upon  me  any  other 
task  but  this.  It  is  base,  cruel,  cruel.  And 
I— 1  am  only  a  weak  woman—" 

"That  is  true.  Do  not,  then,  1  advise  you, 
attempt  to  pit  your  weakness  against  my 
strength.  If  you  are  so  lacking  in  all  those 
qualities  admirable  in  a  woman  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  a  noble  race,  I  shall  take  means  to  force 
you  to  do  your  duty." 

A  sudden  wave  of  courage  swept  over  her. 
She  ceased  to  tremble,  though  the  .samurai 
was  fierce  and  menacing.  There  sprang  into 
her  eyes  a  light  of  defiance. 

"You  have  reminded  me,  my  father,  that 
I  come  of  a  race  of  proud  and  heroic  men. 
Then  let  me  tell  you  that  1,  too,  am  con.scious 
of  ix)ssc.ssing  the  intrepid  blood  of  my  ances- 
tors, and  that  you  can  force  me  to  do  nothing 
against  my  will." 

As  she  spoke  she  had  backed  slowly  across 
the  room,  away  from  her  father,  as  though  re- 
treating from  a  blow.     Now  she  stood  against 

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the  wall,  her  arms  sjtread  out  on  either  side, 
the  hands  clulchin^i  the  partition. 

"  In  ten  iiiinules  I  shall  show  you,  my  lady,' 
said  her  father,  l)etween  an^ry,  cliiuhed  teeth, 
"  tiie  fate  of  one  who  dares  defy  her  honorable 
parent." 

"  Do  .so,"  was  her  astonishing  resiKni.sc. 
"  Kill  me,  hreak  all  my  honorable  bones,  my 
lord.     We  all  must  suffer  and  die!" 

"  Vou  are  too  (juick  to  ch(M).se  your  meth- 
<h1  of  i)unishment,  my  lady.  I  have  a  more 
sul)tle  means  of  teaching,'  you  the  duty  of  a 
child  to  Its  jiarent.  Do  not  imaj^nne  that  I 
shall  kill  your  bcxly.  It  is  your  nund  and 
heart  I  shall  crush." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  my  lord?" 
"Vou  will  understand,  my  lady,  when  your 
lover  is  paying  with  his  life  for — " 

"Oh  no,  no,  no,  no!"  she  cried,  wildly,  her 
hands  groping   through   blinding  emotion  as 
though  she  woi-ld  push  away  from  her  some 
horror  too  aw  ful  for  utterance.     "  No,  no,  no!" 
She  fell  down  at  her  father's  feet,  burj-ing 
her  face  in  the  folds  of  his  hakama,  her  hands 
clutched  about  it  frantically.     "Oh,  my  father 
— no,  no,  no!" 
She  could  .say  no  more. 
"Vou  will  obey  my  commands?"  inquired 
the  father,  bending  over  her. 

"  Ves,  yes — oh,  my  lord — anything  on  earth 
you  may  command.  Only  spare  him,  I  be- 
seech  you,  I   pray   to   you,  as   I   would   to  a 


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ft:. 


UikI!"  She  fell  to  moaiiiiiK  and  cn'ing  with 
the  weakness  of  hysteria,  no  longer  brave, 
deiianl. 

He  raised  her  not  un^ently.     Holding  her 
hands  lirmly,  he  looked  sternly  into  her  face. 
"  Listen    to    me,    my    daughter.     The    task 
may  seem  to  you  horrible.     It  should  not  be 
so.     It  IS  a  righteous,  holy  cause  you  serve. 
I  have  .sworn  to  the  dead,  pledged  myself,  to 
encomiuiss   a  certain  vengeance,  which   must 
not  e-scajK;  me  now.     I  have  lived  for  no  oth- 
er purjKjse.     If  I  have  seemed  a  cold,  unfeel- 
ing father, stern,  unsympathetic,  and  unloving, 
it  is  because  1  have  a  mission  in  life  greater 
than  that  of  a  father.     It  i;.  you  who  must 
helj)  me  to  attain  this  ambition.     Vengeance 
— honest,  righteous  vengeance — for  a  wrong 
done  me  and  mine  is  a  holy  cause.     No  Jai>- 
ane.se  girl  can  regard  it  otherwi.se.    The  Prince 
of  Mori  is  our  bitter  enemy.     Wc  must  accom- 
l)lish  his  undoing — his  death!" 

"  Ves,  yes,"  she  said,  between  her  chattering 
lecth;  "and  you  will  not  harm  hitn  ?" 

"  I  repeat  I  have  nothing  against  this  man. 
It  is  his  prince  whose  proud  spirit  I  will  break! 
Kill!" 

"  Ves,  yes — only  his  prince — the  old  prince. 
Von  wi.sii  me  to  kill  him?  Ves,  I  will  do 
so." 

"Xo;  it  is  the  young  prince  who  mu.st 
die — the  son  of  the  Prince  of  Mori.  Do  you 
not    understand    that    I    accomijhsh   a    more 


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coniiilLtc    rcvctitje   by   c<)tiii»i»s.siii(^    the   death 
of  hiin  who  IS  the  salt  of  his  hfc?" 

"  Vts,  yes;    1  see  it  clear.     I  must  kill   the 
imioeent.     Ah-h!     Oh,  it  is  cruel,  cruel!  ' 

She  was  weepinj,'  broUenly,  pitecnjsly  at  his 
feet  ajj;aiti,  her  physical  strenmh  quite  gone. 

The  samurai  leaned  (ner  her. 

"  Soon,  my  daughter,  you  will  have  regained 
your  stren^'th  and  will.  From  your  attitude 
of  a  little  while  aijo  I  am  made  aware  that 
you  are  ix)sses.sed  of  such  qualities  as  mi^'ht 
imi)el  you  to  attempt  to  betray  your  father. 
He  assured  that  you  shall  l>e  ^iven  no  op- 
|)ortunity  U)r  doinj^  so.  I'or  your  own  ^(kxI 
I  would  advi.se  you  t»)  lay  the  honorable  force 
of  ref)ression  u|K)n  your  di.sturbed  spirits, 
and  briniLr  your.self  to  do  that  which  I  have 
.set  for  you  with  completeness  and  swiftness. 
In  this  way  you  will  render  a  .service  to  your 
father  and  family,  and  save  the  hfe  of  this 
man  vou  love."  ' 


# 


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PRIL  danced  lightly  over  the 
land.  Merrily  she  flung  her 
rainbow  showers  of  sweetest 
water  ufxjn  the  earth,  the  trees, 
the  fearsome  grass  which  March 
had  coaxed  in  vain  to  do  more 
than  j)eep  its  head  above  the 
soil.  Now  the  land  was  covered 
with  a  mantle  so  soft  and  ten- 
der that  its  young  life  seemed 
a  thing  that  it  were  wanton  to 
crush  beneath  the  foot. 

Early,  early  in  the  morning, 
before  the  birds  and  flowers 
had  cocked  up  their  little  heads 
to  seize  the  first  sun -kiss,  a 
lover    stood    in    a    garden    all 

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made  of  gently  sloping  hillocks,  crowned 
with  trees  whitened,  as  if  frost -laden,  with 
the  full  bloom  of  the  cherry  and  plum.  And 
the  lover's  voice  called  softly  and  tenderly 
to  his  lady's  casement: 

"  Lady  Wistaria!     My  sweetest  Wistaria!" 

At  first  there  was  no  res[)onse.  Moving 
nearer  the  casement,  he  called  again: 

"Sweetest,  dearest  one,  will  you  not  come 
to  your  window  for  a  minute — but  a  fraction 
of  a  minute?" 

Softly  a  hand  slid  back  the  shoji — a  slender, 
small,  expressive  hand  of  perfect  form  and 
contour,  and  then  a  young  girl's  face  ap- 
ix?ared  at  the  o|x?ning.  Her  eyes  were  very 
dark,  and  infinitely,  intensely  sad  in  ex- 
pression. Indeed,  one  might  almost  wonder 
whether  their  very  brightness  was  not  caused 
by  the  dews  of  unshed  tears.  She  was  pale. 
There  was  no  color  in  her  face  at  all,  save 
that  of  her  red  lips. 

So  pale  and  ethereal  she  seemed  to  her 
rapturous  lover  that,  for  a  moment,  he  was 
filled  with  an  eerie  fear— was  she  mortal,  or 
one  of  those  fragile  spirits  who  abide  on  the 
earth  for  a  sea.son  only?  Then,  all  in  a  mo- 
ment, her  eyes  meeting  those  of  her  lover,  the 
sadness  of  the  night  pa.ssed  from  her  like  a 
shadow  which  is  vanquished  by  the  sunlight. 
An  instant  later  she  was  again  jiale. 

"Speak  to  me  at  once,"  implored  the  lover, 
"  for  but  a  moment  since  I   thought  you  a 

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spirit.  Dearest  one,  assure  nic  that  my  pas- 
sion is  not  in  vain,  and  that  my  eyes  deceive 
me  when  they  fancy  that  yours  are  sad." 

Her   voice    faUered    and    trembled   at    first. 
Gradually  she  steadied  it. 

"  My  honorable  eyes,"  .she  said,  "are  not  al- 
ways "faithful  mirrors  of  my  heart.  Yes,  in- 
deed, you  are  deceived,  my  lord.  Look  a^am. 
Surely  you  will  see  that— that  they  do  simle." 
"  Yes/'  he  replied,  resardin^  her  somewhat 
wi.stfully,  "it  is  true.  They  do  smile,  and 
yet—"  ile  hesitated.  "  You  do  not  apix'ar 
happy,  Fuji-wara." 

A  "strange  little  laugh  esca|X>d  her  lips. 
But  she  made  no  reply.  She  had  turned  her 
eyes  from  his,  staring  out  before  her.  As 
the  trouble  deepened  in  the  lover's  eyes,  he 
reached  up,  touching  very  gently  the  small 
white  hand  on  the  sill.  The  light  touch  of 
his  hand  startled  her.  Before  he  could  sjx-'ak 
she  had  recovered  herself,  leaning  farther  over 
to  him.  Her  words  sounded  strangely  harsh. 
"My  lord,  do  let  us  resume  our  conversation 
concerning  this  brave  cause  to  which  you 
adhere." 

He  flushed  warmly. 

"It  seems  incongruous,"  he  replied,  after  a 
moment,  "that  a  tender  maiden  should  be 
interested  in  jwlitical  conflicts." 

"That  is  very  unkind,  my  lord.  You  do 
not  credit  me,  then,  with  any  other  quality, 
apparently,  than  that  of  pale  .softness.    Indeed, 

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tny  vanity  has  saved  tnc  from  the  knowledge 
that  the  gods  have  been  most  unkind." 

"Nay,  do  nut  s[)eak  so,"  he  tenderly  chid 
her.  Of  late  he  had  chafed  not  a  little  at 
her  persistent  waiving  aside  of  all  tenderer 
subjects  to  discuss  those  of  larger  niiijort 
to  men  alone. 

"  Well,  then,"  she  ixirsisted,  "say  that  I  am 
capricious,  whimsical,  what  you  will.  But  do, 
pray,  humor  me,  and  if  1  find  it  necessary" — 
she  stammered  over  her  words — "  if  I  find  it 
interesting  to  discuss  such  matters,  pray  allow 
me  to  do  so." 

"Do  so,  then,  at  once,  dear  one!  I  am  all 
ears  to  listen  and  all  tongue  to  reply." 

"Pray  tell  me,  then,  are  \ou  trul^'  an  Im- 
perialist at  heart,  or  merely  so  in  name  because 
you  are  a  Mori?" 

"  Pray  tell  me  where  my  insignificant  sym- 
y^athies  should  lie,  and  there  I  swear  to  you 
shall  they  be." 

She  protested  that  he  but  begged  her  ques- 
tion. Did  he,  then,  :  onsider,  because  she  was 
but  a  weak  maiden,  that  her  interest  in  such 
a  matter  must  needs  be  a  slight  thing?  Was 
she  not  herself  a  daughter  of  a  samurai,  and 
did  not  the  flame,  the  fire  of  patriotism  glow 
unceasingly  in  her  breast  also?" 

"Dear  Wistaria,"  entreated  the  lover,  "I 
pray  you  do  not  disturb  j-our  gentle  bosom 
with  these  questions  which  are  meant  for 
.soldiers,  not  for  maidens." 


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"Nay,  then,"  she  replied,  and  there  were 
tears  in  her  voice  now,  "  why  will  you  yx^rsist 
so?  You  are  quite  wron^,  too.  Let  lue  re- 
peat: I  am  the  daughter  of  a  faiinly  whose 
women  have  had  their  honorable  share  in 
the  affairs  oi  the  nation." 

"True,  but  your  house  has  sttxxl  always 
on  one  side  only.  They  have  never  deigned 
even  to  hear  the  argument,  the  pious,  patriotic 
cry  of  the  other  side." 

"My  house!  Well,  my  lord,  and  am  I  a 
house?" 

He  kissed  the  slender  hand  on  the  window- 
led!.,fe.     It  reached  just  to  his  lii)s. 

"  Nay,  I  swear  you  are  a  ;.,UKldess.  It  could 
not  be  |H)ssible  that  one  so  ^ood  and  fair  would 
favor  an  evil  cause." 

"Evil?  Ah,  then,  my  lord,  is  the  cause  of 
my  house  an  evil  one?" 

He  looked  up  into  her  eyes  earnestly. 

"I  should  be  a  traitor,  my  lady,  did  I  take 
advantafje  of  the  friendly  hosjiitality  your 
house  has  offered  me  to  rej)ay  it  by  sowing 
seeds  of  mischief." 

"  Fiut  if  the  seeds  were  not  mischievous, 
my  lord?    If  they  were  worthy  and  Kof'tl?" 

He  droy)ped  her  hand  abrujitly,  and  juiced 
for  a  time  up  and  down  the  small  grass-grown 
walk  beneath  her  window. 

In  the  shadow  of  the  room  behind  the  Lady 
Wistaria  another  face  appeared  for  the  space 
of  a  moment  only.     Long,  lean,  cadaverous 


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"  The  question  which  cuts  our  country  into 
two  bitter  ftictions,  each  defiant  and  warhke 
towards  the  other." 

Into  the  lover's  face  there  crept  vague,  baf- 


83 


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it  was,  wherein  fierce  eyes  burned  hke  hving 
coals.  With  a  shudder.  Wistaria  clutched  her 
hand  over  her  heart.  Back  to  her  casement 
came  the  lover. 

"My  sweetest  ijirl.do  not  let  us  discuss  so 
melancholy  a  suljject. " 

Imi)aticnt  to  sijcak  with  her  of  other  mat- 
ters nearer  his  heart,  the  lover  let  full,  pas- 
sionate apjHjal  shine  in  his  eyes.  Wistaria's 
paleness  deejxjned,  if  that  were  [wssible.  Her 
eyes  grew  humid  with  repressed  sadness. 
Her  voice  trembled  and  broke  in  spite  of  her 
words. 

"Melancholy,  my  lord?  Naj',  you  would 
treat  me  as  a  child.  Vou  would  turn  my 
heart  from  a  lofty  subject  with  the  graceless 
remark  that  it  is  too  melancholy  for  me." 

"  Ladj',  I  would  turn  your  heart  to  the 
holiest  of  all  subjects  on  earth." 

"  Ah,  what  is  that, dear  Keiki —  No,  no,  no! 
Pray  excuse  my  honorable  rudeness.  Do, 
pray,  my  lord,  rather  iierceive  my  intense 
curiosity  in  the  matter  of  which  we  have 
sjK^keii.  Then  when  you  have  enlightened 
me,  speak  whatever  you  will,  my  lord.  I 
will  listen." 

And  concerning  what  am  I  to  enlighten 


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fled  jxirplexity  mirrorin>^  the  th«)Ut;ht  beyond. 
Coquetry,  or  desire  for  ixtlitical  truth — which 
swayed  his  mistress?  If  the  former,  there 
was  no  conihatiiij:!  it;  if  the  latter,  then— why 
then  lie  would  .s])eaU  her  true,     lie  said; 

"Will   you   tell   me,  then,  whom  you  have 
been  taught  to  ret^ard  as  the  ruler  of  Japan?" 
"  Why,  our  good  Shogun  lyesada,"  she  re- 
turned, promptly. 

"Vet  he  is  not  so  regarded  by  every  one 
in    Iai)an." 

"Why  is  that?" 

"  Becau.se  there  arc  many  who  would  see 
our  rightful  sovereign,  our  divine  Emperor, 
ujKin  the  throne." 

"Hut,  my  lord,  his  Imperial  Majesty  is,  in- 
deed, already  u|H)n  the  throne,  is  he  not?" 

"Oidy  nominally.  I  fear,  my  lady,  that 
you  have  not  read  the  Dai  Nihon  Shi  of  the 
Prince  of  Mori?" 

"No,  but  I  am  much  mterested  in  it." 
"The  history,"  continued  the  young  man, 
with  vehement  bitterness,  "was  purged  re- 
peatedly by  the  Yedo  cen.sor  of  the  Shogun. 
It  dared  to  si->eak  the  truth  to  the  jieople.  I 
do  assure  you  it  was  not  destroyed,  however, 
before  it  had  done  its  work  well." 

"How?     Pray  do  tell  me  all  about  it." 
"Have  you  never  heard  that  pious — fanat- 
ical, if  you   will— cry,  a  barely  half-nmffled 
war-cry  now,  '  Daigi  Heibunor!' "  [the  King 
and  the  subject]. 


# 


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His  voice  rose  with  ii  growing  pas.sion. 
Into  his  eyes  lL'ai)e(l  the  tjleain  of  the  juitnot. 

An  exclamation  escajK'd  the  hps  of  the 
yoiinjf  girl. 

"Oh,  my  lord,  do  not  speak  so  loudly.  I 
would  feign  warn  you.     I — I — " 

She  broke  off  in  her  agitation.  But  her 
apparent  fear  for  him  only  tilled  her  lover 
with  a  great  joy.     His  voice  softened. 

"  Fuji-wara,  will  you  sufTer  yourself  to  listen 
hereafter  to  a  confessed  traitor?" 

"  Dear  lord,  traitor  to  tlie  wrong?" 

"Oh,  dearest  girl,  can  it  actually  be  that 
you  sympathize  with  our  noble  cause?" 

"I — I —  Tell  me,  do,  pray  tell  me,  with 
whom  does  the  young  Prmce  of  Mori  svmpa- 
thize?" 

"Oh,  the  ra.scal  is  a  descendant  of  the  Mori 
of  whom  I  sjx)ke  just  now." 

"And  an  adherent  to  his  views?" 

"Pos.sibly." 

"You  do  not  know  for  a  fact,"  she  urged, 
trenudously,  "just  to  what  party  the  Pnnce 
does  adhere?" 

"My  lady,"  replied  the  lover,  with  some 
constraint,  "  the  Prince  has  his  pride  of  caste. 
He  is  also  not  without  the  inherited  genns 
of  i)atriotism  in  his  soul." 

"And  still  they  do  say  that  he  is  as  silly 
as  a  butterfly,  and  so  given  to  frivolity  that 
his  head  can  hold  no  .serious  thought." 

"I  do  assure  you,"  ref)hed  the  other,  fllush- 

' — ar  i  -k  I      — a: — 


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ing  wannly,  "  that  our  prince  is  not  all  he 
may  sccni."  ^ 

"  My  lord,  I  have  conceived  the  most  over- 
\vhelMun>.j  interest  \n  this  youni^  I'nnce  Mori." 

"Indeed!"  The  youn).,^  man  started  bacU 
in  humorous  dismay.  The  girl  smiled  now, 
a  little,  dreary  smile. 

"Be  assured,  my  lord,  that  the  interest  is 
not  of  a  sentimental  nature.  Hut  it  would 
seem  that  the  youn^  Prince  was  surely  born 
for  a  j.^reat  j)urj)ose. " 

"Ves?"  inc^uired  the  other,  eauerly. 

"  And  that  is,  to  follow  m  the  steps  of  his 
honorable  ancestor." 

"Oh,  dearest  j.,nrl,  you  fill  my  soul  with 
joy!  I  am  ready  to  swear  that  your  sweet 
heart  beats  for  the  right — the  noble  cause 
to  which — " 

"The  Prince  Mori  is  sworn?"  she  interrupt- 
ed, quickly. 

"Ay!  and  all  the  patriotic  sons  of  Japan!  ' 

"And  what  do  these  .sons  of  Japan  jJroiKJ.-ie 
to  do?  ^Vhat  are  the  plans  of  the  Prince 
Mori?" 

"My  lady!" 

"Pray,  why  do  you  start  so,  Keiki-.sama?" 

"You  ask  a  weighty  question  with  the 
same  lightness  you  would  bestow  if  intpiir- 
ing  about  the  weather!" 

"Then  the  tones  of  my  voice  do  me  in- 
justice." 

"Wistaria,    I   swear   I   will    not   speak   aii- 


3£ 

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otiier  word  on  tins  subject.  No  —  not  even 
to  vou." 

"But—" 

"  \(),  no.     I  swear  1  will  not." 

"  .My  lord—" 

"  Did  I  ari.sc  an  hour  before  the  .sun,  think 
you,  to  preach  polities  tt)  my  niistre.ss?" 

"  Vou  recall  the  hour  to  me  now.  It  seems 
I  must  bid  you  farewell.  My  maid  even 
now  is  tappinti  on  my  dtwr.  Do,  pray  then, 
depart." 

The  younp  man  appeared  cut  to  the  heart 
at  the  partint;.  He  sighed  so  deeply  that 
Wistaria  could  not  bear  to  ^aze  u\Hm  him, 
and,  conscious  of  the  impatient  presence  with- 
in, she  drew  her  windowf;  back  hastily  and 
shut  out  the  sitzht  of  her  lover  from  her.  Then 
she  faced  her  father  within. 

"  Vou  have  heard  all,  honored  parent?" 

"livery  thing." 

"  Vou  are  a  witne.ss  of  my  continued  efforts. 
I  fear  we  have  learned  all  there  is  to  know." 

"  Vour  opinion  was  not  asked,"  re|)lied  the 
father,  coldly.  "  Vour  services  are  all  I  re- 
quire.    Vou  will  resume  them  to-morrow." 

The  Lad\'  Wistaria  prostrated  her.self  before 
her  parent  with  the  utmost  humility. 

"  I  am  prei)ared  to  obey  your  aut^ust  will  in 
all  thinps,"  she  murmured,  in  the  most  filial 
and  submissive  of  voices. 


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llIC  .i^a-d  c.'istlc  iroat  was  dark- 
ly luclanclioly,  thouj^'h  its  banks 
on    Cither    side    were    IxxaUiful 
with   the  damp   ^rass  and   the 
meeting'    wiUow    and    wistaria. 
C"()ld,    stdl,  and    dee])    were    its 
waters.     Ai     ni^ht     it     seemed 
^rewsome    and    uncanny,    per- 
ha|)s  because  of  the  trape'dy  of 
its    history,  which    every    Cat- 
zn     courtier    knew.      Even     in 
the  bright  sunhj.jht  its  beauty 
was    sechictively    sad,    for    its 
dark  waters  were  covered  with 
white      k)tus,      mingled      with 
red    and     purple,     with     gold- 
en   hearts,    whose    little    cups 


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TOE.VOOjiSGOi'  ViSTAFJA 


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each    held    OIK'    drop   of    dew  —  a    );;li.stcuini^ 
tf.-.r. 

VVat)dcriiitj  dejoctedly  aloiit,'  the  IkiiiUs  of 
(he  old  moat,  KeiUi  vainly  >ouulit  in  his 
mind  for  some  clew  to  the  phetiomeiial  chanuc 
in  his  mistress  Thon^fh  at  times  her  evis 
seemed  drowned  in  tears  of  tendrrness,  more 
often  they  were  coldly  glassy.  Her  conver- 
sation, ttH),  was  spasmodic,  devoid  of  all 
endearment,  and  of  a  sort  alirn  to  lovers 
When  he  had  first  seen  her  after  the  illness 
which  had  kept  her  from  his  sitrht  for  some 
days,  he  had  lost  all  self-contn)l  in  the  joy 
of  Ix'holdini^  her  once  more.  In  ardent  im- 
agination he  revived  the  memory  of  those 
dream -days  on  the  little  rock  island  of  the 
twentv-  geishas,  but  thoui^^h  she  appeared 
to  have  recovered  her  health,  she  no  longer 
accompanied  him  ujxin  such  excursions.  In- 
deed, she  was  rarely  seen  in  the  Catzu  palace, 
except  on  the  formal  occasions  of  the  guest- 
room. Keiki  had  Ix-en  forced  to  content 
himself  with  those  early  morning  meetings 
at  her  casement,  .so  brief,  so  unsatisfactory. 
For  she  no  longer  murmured  shy  words  of 
love  and  happiness.  She  talked,  in.stcad,  of 
ridiculous  matters,  the  politics  of  the  coun- 
try! 

Nevertheless,  through  her  apparent  sym- 
pathy for  this  cau.se  so  clo.se  to  the  heart  of 
the  young  man,  she  had  revivified  tho.se  thrills 
of  patriotism   which,    "^or  the   nonce,   he  had 

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„     rm  MJOO^uo  Of  ViSTAPJA 


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pushed  aside  to  devote  all  his  heart  and  mind 
to  the  sweeter  einjjloynient  of  loving. 

In  a  moment  ot  enthusiasm,  f»nly  two  days 
before,  he  had  conlided  to  her  the  far  reach- 
ing plans  of  the  Mori  i)rinces  for  their  country. 
She  had  begged  him  with  tears  in  her  eyes  to 
tell  her  of  them;  then,  before  he  had  half 
finished,  she  had  entreated  him  wildly  to  tell 
her  no  more,  and  the  next  instant,  piteously, 
tremblingly,  begged  him  to  continue.  And 
then  as  he  went  on  she  had  dropjied  her  head 
ui  on  her  arms  and  buried  her  face  from  his 
sight.  Her  emotion  had  thrilled  him.  At  the 
moment  he  could  have  fallen  on  his  knees, 
beseeching  her  to  do  something  to  hasten 
their  marriage  so  that  he  might  return  to 
Choshui  to  do  his  part  in  this  noble  cau.se. 
Befoie  he  could  speak,  however,  she  had 
raised  her  face  and  gazed  for  a  moment  upon 
him  with  such  an  expression  of  penetrating 
agony  and  appeal  that  he  had  sprung  towards 
her,  hastily  crymg  out  her  name,  "Wistaria! 
Wistaria!" 

A  moment  later  she  was  gone.  The  fol- 
lowing morning  he  had  waited  in  vain  in 
the  garden  beneath  her  casement.  Over  and 
over  again  he  liad  tai)ped  ui)on  her  shutters 
and  called  her  name,  but  there  was  no  re- 
siKjn.sc.  He  had  met  with  the  .same  exinrri- 
ence  this  morning.  Keiki  was  very  miserable. 
Since  the  change  in  her  seemed  inexi)licablc, 
his  confidence  was  -haken— not  his  confidence 


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in  her  faith  or  truthfulness,  but  in  her  love, 
lie  began  to  torture  his  nund  with  the  jxissi- 
bility  that  she  inieht  not  love  hun,  that  she 
had  Ixxn  but  a  girl,  after  all,  who,  flattered 
by  his  manner  of  wooing  her,  had  thought 
she  returned  his  aflection.  His  faith  in  her 
purity  of  soul  was  so  perfect  that  no  slightest 
thought  of  any  designs  u|K)n  his  jwlitical 
schemes  ever  occurred  to  him  in  connection 
with  Wistaria. 

Thus  unhappy,  worried,  and  very  much  in 
love,  Keiki  walked  moodily  along  the  bank 
of  the  old  castle  moat,  his  old  assurance  and 
egotism  completely-  gone  from  him. 

Suddenly  as  he  strolled  along  something 
struck  him  sharply  on  the  temjile.  Stooping, 
he  raised  from  the  ground  what  seemed  to 
be  a  soft  pebble.  Examining  it  more  closeh', 
however,  he  j)erceived  it  to  Ix;  a  lady's  fine 
I)aper  handkerchief  rolled  into  a  little  ball. 
Half  wonderingly,  half  idly,  Keiki  undid  it. 
A  faint,  familiar  perfume  exuded  from  it 
as  he  shook  it  out.  In  an  instant  he  was 
pressing  it  rapturously  to  his  face.  It  was 
from  W'lstaria.  Tenderly  turning  it  about  and 
enjoying  its  sweetness,  he  found  as  he  was 
smoothing  it  out  a  little  word  in  the  centre: 

bo. 

The  lover  became  pale  as  death.  lie  read 
it  again,  then  repeated  it  aloud — "Go!"  Its 
meaning  was  plain.  He  did  not  doubt  for 
instant   from   whom  it  came.     That  one 


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little  word  from  her  explained  everythini^ 
— the  change  in  her,  her  realization  that 
she  did  not  love  hi  in,  and  this  silent  means 
of  tellinu;  him  the  truth,  lie  crumpled  the 
handkerchief  in  his  hand.  A  moment  later 
he  was  jxicinj^  —  almost  runninj,^  —  up  and 
down  aloiiK  tlie^  '^ank  of  the  silent,  mockinj; 
moat,  lie  could  not  think.  He  could  only 
feel.  Then  he  threw  himself  prone  uixin  the 
ground,  his  face  huried  m  the  lon)^  f:rrasses. 
He  was  smothering  and  choking  back  the 
hoar.se,  terrible  .sobs  of  a  man — one  who  had 
been  trained  in  the  indexible  school  of  the 
samurai. 

The  day  i)asscd  over  his  liead.  The  sky, 
ruddy  with  the  .setting  sun,  i)aled  gradually, 
until  it  .seemed  as  though  a  veil  were  drawn 
softly  acro.ss  it.  Still  I\eiki  gave  him.self  up 
to  his  desi)air.  For  him  it  seemed  that  the 
sun  had  gone  out,  life  had  ceased. 

As  the  shadows  continued  to  spread  their 
batlike  wings  over  the  heavens,  darkening, 
darkening  the  skies,  until  only  an  impcnc>- 
trable  vault  of  darkness  dotted  with  myriad 
magic  lights  was  above  and  about  him,  he 
still  lay  there. 

A  rustle  disturbed  the  grass.  Possibly 
a  hare  running  by.  Keiki  heeded  it  not. 
Something  was  stirring,  moving  near  him. 
Mechanically,  dully,  he  listened.  Some  one 
had  lost  his  way  among  the  willows  and  with 
his  hands  was  feeling    his   way.      From  his 

:3~=z^ JE  1  -^ 


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own  despair  Keiki  was  recalled  by  the  sudden 
acute  knowledj^^e  of  |M)s.sible  daiijj;er  to  this 
person  who  had  evidently  lost  his  way.  One 
false  step  towards  the   l^oj^^uy  grass,  and   Ix:- 

ose  water- 


yond  was  the  treacherous  moat,  wh 


flowers  and  reeds  hid  its  dark  surface.  Sud- 
denly he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  called  out 
hoarsely : 

"  Who  is  the  lionorable  one?" 

He  fancied  he  heard  a  cry.  He  ran  towards 
it,  then  stoi)ped  short.  He  had  come  u]nm 
her  there  in  the  willows.  Her  kimono  shone 
out  startlingly  white  with  a  .stray  moon-lxam 
upon  it,  but  her  gown  was  not  k\ss  white  than 
her  f, 


ice,  which  stared  into  the  darkness  lil 


ke 


that  of  a  statue. 

Slowly  he  went  to  her  as  though  drawn 
by  subtle,  compelling  hands.  Clo.se  to  her, 
almost  touching  her;  he  did  not  speak,  be- 
cau.se  he  could  not.  Bitter  words  had  sprung 
to  his  lips  only  to  die  before  birth.  He  per- 
ceived that  she  was  trembling  from  head  to 
foot.  Her  hands  stood  out  from  her  sleeves, 
each  finger  apart,  and  they  trembled,  (piiv- 
cred,  shof)k. 

With  an  inarticulate  crv  he  cauuht    them 

th 


in 


^   savagely,  in  his  grasp.     Then  his  voice  came 


nge. 


^ 


to  him.     It  was  very  husky  and  stra 
"  S|)eak 
"Go!— Txo!" 
This  was  all  she  wh^spcringlv  cried.     She 


93 


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is  own,  inclosing   them  warmlv,  almost     ^ 


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TO£.VOOjr^GOf  ViSTARiA 


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kept  repeating  it  over  and  over  between  her 
chattering  teeth.  As  lie  wound  his  arms 
about  her  shivering  form  he  found  that  she 
was  drii)ping  wet.  Could  it  be  that  she  had 
fallen  into  the  moat?  By  what  miracle  of  the 
gods,  then,  had  she  been  saved?  The  dark 
waters  were  so  deejj — so  deep! 

"  Vou  arc  wet  and  cold  I  You  have  met 
with  an  accident?" 

"  No,  no,"  she  said.  "  It  was  the  honorable 
grass— so  wet — so  cold,  like  a  lake.  I  crawled 
through  it,  on  my  hands  and  knees,  close  to 
the  moat." 

"  But  why  did  you  do  it,  why  did  you  do 
it?"     His  voice  was  im])loring. 

"To  come  to  you.     To  be  with  you— to— " 
He  clasi)ed  her  closer,  warmed  to  the  soul 
by  her  words. 

"Ah,  then  it  is  not  true,"  he  cried,  "and 
you  do  still  love  me,  Fuji-wara?" 

"Better  than  my  soid.  Better  than  my 
duty  to  the  gods,"  she  whis])ered. 

The  sound  of  her  voice  was  mufTlcd.  Her 
words  literally  sighed  through  her  lijis.  He 
could  not  comprehend  :  he  knew  only  that  she 
loved  him,  had  come  to  him,  and  now  she 
was  all  water -wet,  pale -eyed,  and  trembling 
as  one  who  sleeps  with  fear.  And  because 
that  strange  voice  hurt  his  soul,  he  covered 
her  lips  with  his  hand.  She  made  no  re- 
monstrance, but  sank  into  his  arms,  almost 
as  if  she  had  fainted.     But  looking  down  he 


X 


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94 


I— 3r 


■^ 


i« 


^ 


saw  her  eyes  were  wide  of)en,  shining  like 
dark  stars.  They  startled  hun.  They  were 
like  tlKxse  of  a  dead  woman.  He  shook  her 
almost  routfhly  in  his  fright. 

"Wistaria!  Six.'ak  to  me!  What  is  it? 
Tell  me  your  trouble." 

"  Trouble?"  she  rei)eated,  dazedly.  "Trou- 
ble!" 

Then  she  remembered.  She  grasped  his 
arm  till  her  fingers  almost  pierced  through 
the  silk  into  his  flesh. 

"  Vou  must  go— go!  CfO  quickly— run  all 
the  way.  Do  not  stop  one  moment— not  one 
little  moment." 

"Co  away?  Run?  What  are  you  say- 
ing?" 

"Listen!  In  a  moment,  perhaps,  I  may 
not  have  power  to  six^ak.  My  strength  is 
failing  me.  I  thought  you  would  obey  the 
word  I  sent  you.  But  I  saw  you  fall  down 
among  the  grasses,  and  all  day  long  I  have 
watched  from  my  window,  waiting,  waiting, 
waiting  to  see  you  depart.  No,  no— listen 
unto  me— do  not  speak.  I  escaped  the  vigi- 
lance of  my  jailers- my  executioners.  Oh, 
will  you  not  imderstand  ?  I  have  come  through 
|)orils  you  cannot  imagine  to  warn  you  — to 
l)og  you  on  my  knees  to  go  away  at  once 
Hasten  to  Choshui!" 

Ilcr  breath  failed  her.     She  had  been  speak- 
ing quickly,  in  sharp  gasps. 

"But  I  do  not  understand."  he  said. 


=  « 


95 


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( 


h 


V 


TOE  -WOOusG  Of  -WiSTARIA 

zzm 


:aE: 


^■-^ 


"Your  prince  —  your  august  prince   is   in 
danger  1" 

"  What?" 

"The  Prince  of— the  young  Prince  Reiki/' 
she  ^asiK'd. 

"  The  young  Prince  Keiki!"  he  repeated,  in- 
credulously. 

"  Yes,  yes;  they  have  discovered  his  secrets 
— they  will  arrest  hitu  for  treason  and — " 

He  almost  shouted. 

"His  secrets!  The  cause!  Oh,  all  the 
gods!" 

"  You  can  save  him.  There  may  be  time. 
They  will  take  him  and  cast  him  into  a  dun- 
geon and  kill  him!" 

"  I  must  set  off  at  once,"  excitedly  he  mut- 
tertxi.  "What  could  have  happened  in  my 
absence?" 

Her  shivering,  trembling  presence  recalled 
him.  He  was  distracted  at  the  thought  of 
leaving  her.  He  could  think  of  nothing  else. 
He  tried  to  see  her  wliite  fiice  in  the  darkness, 
but  could  only  trace  the  pale  outlines.  Sud- 
denly he  took  it  in  his  hands. 

"Fuji-wara,"  he  whispered,  in  a  voice  of 
mingled  love  and  agony.  "  How  can  I  leave 
you?  How  can  I  do  so?  And  yet  you  would 
not  have  me  ao'  the  part  of  a  coward,  the 
false  traitor.     You  would  be  the  first  to  bid 

me  go." 

"Go,  go!"  she  cried,  releasing  herself  from 
his  hands  feverishly. 


^ 


X 


3E: 

96 


X 


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i: 


m^m^ 


And 


vou?' 


"  Lead  me  back  into  the  path.  I  shall  find 
my  way  from  there." 

Leading  her,  he  questioned  anxiously : 

"There  is  danger  for  you  here.  Wistaria? 
Tell  me,  or  I  shall  not  depart." 

She  turned  the  question. 

"  Last  night  there  was  a  slight  earthquake 
in  the  province.  There  is  always  danger. 
But  you  and  I  have  pledged  each  other.  For 
the  time  of  this  life  and  the  next,  and  as  many 
after  as  may  come,  I  will  be  your  flower-wife 
and  \'ou  my  husband." 

At  parting  he  kis.sed  the  hem  of  her  kimono 
and  the  little,  water-soaked  foot  beneath. 


fy 


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az:^3=SE 


7m  .WoojrsG  Of  \^3TAR) A 


IIEN    the    tender    veil    of    the 
first  hours  of  the  morning  was 
raised    from    the    face    of    the 
sun,    the    early    light    revealed 
a   small,  still,  white  face  at  a 
window     where    ihe    morning- 
glory,    rising    from    the    midst 
*  of  spring  roses,   mingled  with 
the  wild   ivy  of   Japan,   clam- 
bered up  and  encircle<i  the  case- 
ment,   and    nodded    until    the 
blossoms  touched  and  caressed 
the  small ,  dark  head.     The  eyes, 
darkly  overcast  with  ceaseless 
watching,    stared    out    through 
the  mist  of  the  morning,  across 
the   musk -laden   gardens  and 


98 


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az^i 


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« 


over  the  silent  nio;.«.,  trying  to  j.ierce  with 
the  vision  of  love  the  distance  beyond  the 
lines  of  the  province. 

'I'hus  all  night  long  had  the  delicate  Lady 
Wistaria  crouched  at  her  (a.seiiient.     Did  the 
night  winds  stir  the  long  grasses  or  rattle  the 
boughs  of  the  trees   and   bushes,  the  young 
girl   started   and   tremhlul    with   uiisivakable 
fear.     Did  the  steady  beat,  beat  of  the  w.KKlen 
sandals  of  the  guards  at  the  palace  gates  for 
a  moment  cease  or   increase   their   rhythmic, 
orderly  tramp,  her  heart  bounded  up,  then  al- 
most stopi)ed  its  beating.    The  slightest  sound 
or   stir   made  her  tremble  and  quiver.    Only 
the  nightingale,  softly,  piercingly,  cea.selesslv 
singing  throughout  the  night,  comforted  and 
soothed  her  like  the  song  of  an  ar.gel.      Inder 
its  stK)thing  influence  she  had  fallen  asleep, 
with  her  little,  tired  head  u|X)n  her  arms.     IJut 
even  while  she  .slept,  she  sighed  and  trembled. 
Awaking  before  daybreak,  she  heeded  not  the 
shivering   breezes  of    the    j)assing   night,  but 
waited  for  the  sunlight. 

An  alert  guard  of  the  palace  gates,  after  the 
night  watch,  was  wending  his  way  through 
one  of  the  paths  which  led  out  of  the  grounds, 
when  he  thought  he  heard  some  one  calling 
his  name.  It  was  very  early.  But  for  the 
chirping  of  a  few  waking  birds,  the  gar- 
dens were  very  silent  and  still.  He  stopi)cd 
short  in  his  walk  and  listened.  There  it  was 
again— a  woman's  or  a  child's  voice,  calling 


Ml^ 


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his  n.anie,  softly,  almost  ai)y)t'alingly.  Turn- 
ing sharply,  the  ^iiard  retraced  his  steps  down 
the  path,  loukmi:  about  him  anxiously  as 
he  neared  tiie  palace. 

"  0 — \'oiie!     Votie-yara!" 

He  turned  in  the  direction  of  the  voice. 

"()  — Vone!  This  wav!  It  is  1  — your 
lady!" 

Then  the  f,niard  saw  the  Lady  Wistariix 
leaning  far  out  from  her  casement.  He  ran 
forward  and  dro])])ed  on  his  knees,  touching 
the  earth  with  his  head. 

"Closer!  Still  closerl"  she  called,  in  a 
whisi)er, 

"Yes,  my  lady!" 

He  knelt  close  under  her  casement,  his 
head  bent,  and  resjjectfully  attentive. 

She  whisiHjred. 

"I  wish  you  to  do  me  a  .service;  will  you 
not,  Vone?" 

"Oh,  my  lady!"  was  all  the  young  man 
couUl  slanuper,  out  of  his  eagerness  to  serve 
her. 

"  I  i:now  you  arc  tired  after  your  watch, 
and  it  was  long — .so  long!"  She  sij^ihed,  as 
though  she,  too,  had  kept  the  watch  with 
him. 

"  Xo,  no!'  cried  the  yoimg  guard,  hastily. 
"  Indeed  I  am  honorably  fre.sh,  my  Uidy.  Do 
not  spare  me  any  .service." 

"Then  do  you  please  run  as  swiftly  as  your 
honorable   feet   will   carry  you   to  the   home 


C=^ 


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4= 


of  Sir  Takcmoto  ricnji,  atid  bid  him  hasten 
to  me  here  at  once,  without  tnic  moment's 
delay.     Now  hasten — do  not  wait!" 

Like  a  Hash  of  wind  the  yountj  soldier 
had  sprinii;  to  his  feet,  had  leai>e-d  across 
the  sinali  division  t(»  tlie  l)ri(lL,re  spannintj 
the  moat,  and  was  sj)eedini;  tliroutrh  the 
wcKxled  j)ark  beyond. 

In  less  than  lifteeii  minutes  the  samurai 
(ienji  was  bendnig  the  knee  to  the  Lady  Wis- 
taria. 

"Thy  service,  my  lady!" 

"Oh,  Sir  (ienji,"  she  cried  out,  throwing  all 
caution  to  the  winds,  "  I  am  in  such  dire 
trouble — such  fearful,  cruel  trouble!" 

"Why,  my  little  lady?"  The  bit,'  samurai 
was  on  his  feet,  reifardmtj  her  with  amazed 
eyes. 

"  Ves,  yes — I  know  it  seems  incrtxlible  to 
you  that  I  should  have  trouble  of  any  sort, 
but  indeed  it  is  so,  and — " 

"Ar^  moshi,  moshi!"  .soothed  the  samurai, 
patting  her  hand  rea.ssurini.ily. 

"  Vou  will  be  my  very  good  friend,  will  you 
not.  Sir  Gen?" 

"  Friend !  Command  me  to  cut  myself  in 
half  and  I  will  do  so  at  once!" 

"Last  nitrht,"  .she  whisjjered,  "he—" 

He  nodded  comjtrehendinj^ly,  certain  that 
only  one  "  he"  could  exist  in  my  lady's  mind. 

" — he  csca[)cdl"  she  gasixxi. 

"Escaped?" 

■  j  I  a^  T       iianzi 


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"Oh,  you    Utiow  —  you    know   of   whom  1 

SJH.'.'ll<." 

"  Vcs,  yes — certainly;  hut  how  do  you  mean 
— cscai)c-(l?  lie  was  our  hiiiii>rccl  ^uest,  was 
he  not?" 

"His  prince  is  tny  fither's   mortal  enemy 
My  father  has  heen  my  jailer  for  many  days 
now,  and  I — I  have  heen  f(jrced  to  cause  him 
to  hetray  his  prmce.     Oh,  will  you  not   un- 
derstand!" 

"Hah!  It  is  all  (pute  jtlain!  But  why  did 
you  not  inform  me  sooner?" 

"  Because  until  yesterday  my  father  kept 
so  constant  a  watch  <ner  me  that  I  could 
make  no  movement  he  would  not  have  per- 
ceived. But  do  not  ask  useless  questions 
now,  (Icn.  Help  mc.  Tell  me  what  to  do — 
what  to  do." 

"  Vou  say  he  has  escaped?  When  and 
how  did  he  tro?" 

"  Last  ni^ht.  Gen.  I  climhed  down  the 
vine  of  the  casement  here.  See,  it  is  strong. 
My  father  for  the  first  time  had  not  been  near 
me  all  day,  and  I  thomjht  I  was  safe  from 
oh.servation,  thouLfh  indeed  I  could  not  be 
sure.  But  I  went  to  him  and  warned  him 
of  the  danu:er,  and  he  has  gone  to  Choshui." 

"That  IS  very  well,  then." 

"  But  my  father  may  know  the  truth  and 
will  track  him  through  the  woods,  i  cannot 
live  for  the  fear,  the  august  dread,  of  what 
m.iv  befall  him.  ' 


XI 


» 


102 


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TOE  .VOOjriO  Of?  \^iSTAR»A     n 


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"  Do  not  trcinlilc  s<»,  my  lady.  T'liiius  ate 
not  so  dark  as  tlicv  scm.  It  is  (|uitc'  iiii- 
ix>.ssil)le  for  your  father  to  have  overheard 
you.  he  left  Catzu  af  tioon  yesterday." 

"Ah!  Then  if  that  is  so.  it  will  be  t(X5 
late  to  warn  the  youn^  I'rince  Mori,"  she 
cried. 

"  Hut  do  n(*t  think  of  this  prince.  :iiy  lady 
Be  happy  that  your  autjust  lover  is  safe." 

"  Oh,"  she  cried,  despairinf.jlv.  "  but  I  cannot 
have  the  death  of  this  inn«)cent  prince  U|)on 
my  hands.  1  should  die  if  anylhinj^  hapi)ened 
to  him." 

"Well,  do  take  some  comfort,  my  lady. 
Vou  say  your  lover  dejuirted  last  ni^ht.  Very 
gfXKl.  The  .samurai  Shimadzu  left  yesterday 
at  noon.  Vet  the  youni;  man,  I  am  ready  to 
swear  by  my  sword,  will  be  tlie  first  to  reach 
Choshui." 

"Oh,  but  vcntrcancc  and  hatred  will  lend 
wiufrs  to  my  [)arent's  feel  " 

"  And  the  wings  of  venRcance  and  hatred, 
tny  lady,  arc  not  so  fleet  as  those  of  the  wings 
of  love.     Be  assured." 

"Sir  Gen,  vou  do  not  know,  you  would  not 
believe  all  I  have  suffered." 

Sir  Gcnji  s  brows  contractcxl.  Ever  since 
he  hiid  followed  her  to  the  old  Catzu  palace, 
when  she  was  a  tiny,  bewitching  little  creature 
of  five,  with  laughing  lips  and  shining  eyes, 
a  flower  ornament  tumbling  down  the  side 
of  her  hair  and  a  miniature  kimono  tied  about 


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with  a  purple  ol)i,  she  had  been  his  favorite. 
He  could  scarcely  believe  it  jxxssible  that  any 
one  could  be  cruel  to  this  beaulilul  youn>^ 
|j;irl  His  looks  jusi  then  bode  ill  for  any 
one  who  should  cause  her  pain.  Never- 
theless, for  many  days  now  the  >ounff  (.girl's 
chamber  had  been  nt)t  unlike  that  of  an  in- 
quisitorial prison.  It  was  true  there  were 
no  thumb -screws  or  neck -halters  or  burn- 
int^-irons  within,  but  there  were  instruments 
of  torture  more  refined  and  e.xcruciatint,'  in 
their  torture,  because  they  pierced  the  mind 
rather  than  the  body. 

If  the  eirl  awoke  screaming  in  the  niudit, 
one  could  be  sure  that  some  creepinsj;.  si)yin,i.,^ 
l)re.sence  had  entered  her  chamber  and  had 
^^rown  ujxHi  the  consciousness  of  her  dreams, 
rudely  awakeniuL;  her  to  the  fearful  night- 
mare of  an  im.seen  presence.  In  the  early 
mormni^  she  was  awakened  from  her  sleep  and 
forced  to  carry  (m  th(jse  nerve-shockintr,  hearl- 
breakinti  interviews  with  her  lover.  She  fell 
asleep  at  ni^ht  with  the  intuitive  knowledtie 
that  one  watched  unceasingly  in  her  cham- 
ber. She  might  make  no  stir  or  movement 
unobserved. 

This  Sir  ('".enji  heard  for  the  first  time. 

"  And  I  may  rely  on  you  for  the  future?" 
she  asked,  in  conclusion. 

The  samurai  raised  his  sword. 

"With  this,  gcnitle  kidy,  I'll  serve  thee  and 
him,"'  he  said. 


104 


a: 


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THE  .WOojiNGOf^vfisrAPv)  A 


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Then  with  a  (luick  nuncmcnl  he  fhing  the 
sword  to  the  ground. 

'I'hree  days  passed  away.  She  seemed  hke 
one  in  a  dream,  under  a  s])cll,  as  she  hun^; 
over  her  flowers.  Inder  the  fruit-trees  she 
wandered.  Their  i>elals,  tnlorous  and  dcwy- 
hiden,  fell  around  and  upon  her  liUe  a  cloud 
of  sununer  snow  -  Hakes.  They  made  her 
(juiver  with  memories  that  caused  her  pain. 
She  ran  throus^h  the  ^ra.sses  away  from  them, 
her  little  feet  scalteriuLC  the  jietals  hefore 
her,  seekiiiii  the  hanks  of  the  moat  far  away 
from  where  he  had  lieen  wont  to  stand  at  the 
dawning',  pleadnm  for  her  love. 

Jkit  the  lotus  with  the  dew  ni  its  cups  smiled 

•It  to  weep.  She  threw  herself  down  by  the 
water's  edi;e,  and  swept  with  her  hand  the 
lotus  back  from  the  surface  of  the  water. 
The  flowers  at  her  touch  left  one  little  oval 
spot,  out  of  which  her  small  face  shone  up 
at  her  with  its  startled  eyes  of  tragedy.  She 
fancied  it  a  mat^ic  mirror  wherein  the  face 
of  the  divine  ff(xldess  of  mercy  was  reflected. 
So  she  prayed  to  the  goddess  very  softly, 
and  fpiite  as  one  who.se  mind  has  been  over- 
weighted with  trouble,  for  jx-ace  and  mercy 
for  that  wilful  and  fooli.^h  Lady  Wistaria, 
whose  lover  had  i)assed  out  of  her  life  and 
Kone  the  u:ods  knew  whilher.  And  the  lips 
of  the  tr(Kkless  in  the  water  moved  in  .sound- 
less resiKmse,but,"IIe  is  ^onc— gone!"  said 
the  hapless  Lady  Wistaria. 

—z — —— -nzzr: — zk -Xi  7~^=z 


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TO£.VJ0O]rSG  oj^  ViSTAPvJA 


# 


HE  Lady  Wistaria  was  carried 
to  her  father's  home  at  nii^hl. 
There  was  no  i^^or^eous  cort^^a', 
no  gayly  bedecked  attendants 
or  retaniers  to  bend  the  back 
and  knee  to  her.  She  travelled 
alone,  in  a  covered  palanquin 
borne  on  the  shoulders  of  hired 
runners,  Ijesidc  whom  the  tall, 
lank  figure  of  her  father  strode. 
They  set  her  down  in  the  heart 
of  the  city,  the  rest  of  the  journey 
beintr  made  on  foot.  When  she 
had  last  visited  her  father's 
home  he  had  carried  her  on 
his  back,  after  he  had  dis- 
missed  the  palanquin,   for  she 

= it iz=zz=-a 


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was  then  but  a  small  trirl  of  ten.  Now  she 
walked  silently,  dumbly,  by  his  side.  As 
they  reached  and  passed  through  the  silent 
little  villafTe  that  had  impressed  her  as  a 
child,  strantic  fancies  flitted  in  and  out  of 
Wistaria's  mind.  There  was  none  of  that 
strange  up-leaping  of  the  heart,  experienced 
on  returning  to  a  home  not  seen  for  years. 
The  old  mystic  horror  and  fear  of  the  place 
had  taken  possession  of  Wistaria,  but  now, with 
a  woman 'o  wide-o])en  eyes,  her  wonder  and  fear 
began  t<   form  themselves  into  vague  fancies. 

Slov ./  passing  along  the  silent,  sjural 
streets,  climbing  up  and  around  hillock  after 
hillcKk,  they  came  finally  before  the  small, 
whitewashed  house  with  its  dark,  empty,  cold 
interior.  The  old,  old  woman  who  had  fon- 
dled and  sung  to  the  child  Wistaria  came  hol>- 
bling  and  mumbling  to  the  door.  She  wept 
over  Wistaria's  hands,  caressed  them,  and 
drew  her  head  to  her  bosom  with  a  crooning 
laugh  that  was  almost  a  sob. 

"I  am  very  weary  and  would  fain  retire  at 
once,"  said  Wistaria,  as  she  returned  the  old 
woman's  caress. 

Madame  Mume  attendal  Wistaria  tenderly 
towards  the  stairway  which  led  to  the  upper 
part  of  the  house.  But,  as  she  did  so,  Shi- 
madzu  called  to  his  daughter  in  his  hollow 
voice  of  command. 

"Stay,"  he  said.  "I  have  much  to  say  to 
you  to-night." 


107 


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T/1£-VOOii>iG  Of  ViSTAFJA 


-it. 


az 


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Bowing  obcdi cully,  if  wcaniy,  to  her  falhcr. 
Wistaria  handed  her  cape  l<)  the  old  woman 
and  nicchaniad'y  followed  hnu  into  the 
ozashiki. 

"My  dauKhter,"  bcuan  the  father,  "do  you 
know  where     ou  now  are?' 

This  strange  (juestion  suri)rised  Wistaria, 
but  she  replied,  with  a  i^entle  smile: 

"In  my  honorid)le  father's  house." 

"That  is  true,  but  do  you  know  where 
your  father's  house  is  situated?" 

"Xo." 

"  Very  well ;  I  will  tell  you,  then.  My  house, 
though  seeminuly  apart,  l)ecansv.'  (if  its  situa- 
tion on  the  hill,  is  built  in  the  heart  of  an 
Eta  settlement." 

"Cta?"  repeated  Wistaria,  mechanically. 
Slie  had  heard  the  word  somewhere  before, 
but  just  what  it  signified  her  nund  at  the 
moment  could  not  recall.  So  she  rej>eatcd  the 
word  again,  as  though  it  troubled  yet  fasci- 
nated her.     "i:ta!— Kta!" 

"Eta,"  rcix-ated  her  father.  "In  other 
words,  the  social  outcast,  the  despised  pariah 
class  of  Japan." 

Then  silence  fell  like  a  swift,  blank  darkness 
u)H)n  them.  Wistaria  trembled  with  a  creei>- 
ing  horror  .she  could  not  fathom  or  grasp. 

Somewhere,  somehow,  vaguely,  dnnly,  she 
had  heard  o[  this  class  of  i)eople.  Perhaps 
it  was  at  .school.  rerhai)s  her  au!it  had 
instructed  her  ni   their  cotuhtiou.     One  thing 


lo5 


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W 


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was  certain,  slie  was  siuklenly  made  aware 
of  just  what  the  cine  word  ICla  sijitiilied. 

It  described  a  class  in  Japan  uiK)n  whom 
the  ban  of  ostracism  and  isolation  had  been 
placed  by  an  inviolate  heritage  and  a  cruel 
custom.  So  \  irulent  and  bitter  was  the  prej- 
udice against  them  and  the  contempt  in 
which  they  were  held,  that  in  the  eiumicia- 
tions  of  the  jjopulation  they  were  onntted  from 
the  count  and  numbered  iis  cattle. 

Herded  in  separate  villau,es,  their  existence 
i).nu)red  bv  the  communities,  none  but  the 
most  detrraded  tasks  were  assigned  to  them — ■ 
that  of  buryint^  criminals,  slaughtering  cattle, 
that  of  the  hangman  and  ])uijlic  executioner. 

Whence  they  had  come,  why  they  were 
held  in  the  contempt  of  all  other  citizens, 
what  their  origin,  none  could  tell.  When 
had  there  been  a  time  in  the  history  of  the 
nation  that  tht-y  did  not  exist?  Some  old 
histories  aver  that  they  vvere  originalh  cajv 
tives  from  the  great  Armada  of  the  Tartar  in- 
viiders  \.ho  dreamed  of  conquering  the  sacred 
realm.  Others  declare  that  they  were  the  do- 
sce.idants  of  the  public  executioners  from  time 
immemorial;  and  again,  more  recent  students 
assert  that  they  were  descendants  of  the  fam- 
ily and  retiiiners  of  Taira-Xo-Masakado-IIei- 
shimo,  the  only  man  in  Japan  who  ever  seri- 
ously conspired  to  seize  the  imi)erial  throne 
by  armed  force.  Whatever  their  origin,  they 
were  the  outcast  j>eoj)le  of  the  realm.     They 


109 


I 


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H 


i 


Cz:5=3i 


T/IE.VOOirsG  op  ViSTARJA 

— -a.: ^-  y n: 


^ 


^ 


4 


were  not  i)eriniUcd  to  mingle  with  or  marry 
outside  ol  their  own  chiss,  and  any  one  who 
chose  to  marry  amonj,'  them  must  either  suHer 
the  |)enalty  of  death  or  become  one  of  them. 

The   ion^  silence  winch   ensued   after   Shi 
madzu   had    s]Kil<en    the  word    I*2ta  was   bro- 
ken l)y  the  Ladv  Wistaria. 

"And  why,"  -he  asked,  with  a  tremor  she 
could  not  keep  from  her  voice — "why  does 
my  honorable  father  make  his  home  among 
this  outcast  ])eople?" 

"Because,"  (luickly  came  the  passionate 
resj)onse,  '  your  lionorable  father  is  an  Eta, 
as  is  also  my  lady  liis  dautrhter.  " 

Wistaria's  eyes,  wide  with  slKxrked  sur- 
prise, stared  mutely  up  into  her  father's  face. 
What!  sht> — the  Lady  Wistaria,  the  dainty, 
cultivated,  carefully  j^uarded  and  nurtured 
lady — an  Eta  tfirl  I  I  ler  mind  could  not  grasp, 
would  not  hold  the  thought. 

"  Listen,"  said  her  father,  slowly.  "I  was 
born  in  a  city  of  the  south,  th'?  seat  of  a  dai- 
mio  of  eight  hundred  thousand  koku.  My 
father's  house  stood  within  the  outer  forti- 
fications surrounding  this  prince's  castle.  I 
was  trained  in  the  school  of  the  samurai.  1 
grew  ui>,  honoring  and  swearing  by  this 
prince.  When  I  became  o^  age  1  entered  his 
service.  No  love  of  man  for  woman  Avas  more 
ix;rsistent  than  my  loyalty  to  his  cause.  De- 
votion to  him  was  my  highest  ideal. 

"My  prince  had  a  bitter  rival  and  enemy. 


* 


'^ 


liO 


X 


T" 


^ 


THE.VOOirsG  op  VJJSTAPJA 


■#V* 


He  was  a  good  and  powerful  lord,  though  a 
Shogun  favorite.  This  lord  loved  my  sister  ^ 
and  was  loved  by  her  In  an  evil  moment 
1  listmed  to  her  entreaties,  and  forgot  my 
allegiance  to  my  prince  in  30  far  as  to  assist 
his  rival  to  win  and  wed  my  sister,  now  the 
Lady  of  Catzii.  Immediately  I  brought  down 
upon  my  head  the  bitterest  detestation  of  my 
own  prince.  I  was  a.ssigned  to  the  jioorest 
and  most  degrading  of  posts,  that  of  the  spy 
and  the  suppressor  of  petty  broils,  and  finally 
detailed  to  live  in  and  protect  a  certain  Ivta 
settlement.  So  much  of  my  time  was  thus 
forcibly  spent  among  these  y)cople  that  I  came 
to  study,  to  understand,  and  finally  to  sym- 
pathize with  them. 

"I  was  5'oung,  as  I  have  said,  impression- 
able, and  I  had  been  trained  in  the  school 
of  chivalry.  It  fell  to  my  lot  to  be  the  pro- 
tector of  an  Eta  maiden  of  such  beauty  of 
person  and  purity  of  soul  that — " 

He  broke  off  in  his  recital,  and,  to  clear  his 
husky  voice,  raised  with  a  shaking  hand  a 
tumbler  of  sake  to  his  lips  and  swallowed  it 
at  a  gulp.  He  began  again,  with  passionate 
fierceness.    His  eyes  glittered  with  inward  hre. 

"I  married  the  maiden!" 

With  a  sudden  little  sob.  Wistaria  moved 
closer  to  him  and  drew  his  hands  up  to  her 
lips. 

"My  mother?"  The  words  pas.sed  her  lips 
as  a  quick,  burning  question. 

i      -        14-1  i 


t 


III 


tP 


^^^ 


' T^      n 


ai 


^ 


"Thy  mother, "  he  repeiiled,  and  then  she 
saw  in  the  dim  hijht  of  the  room  the  ^xreat, 
shiniiiR  tears  roll  down  the  hard  crevices  in 
her  father's  face.  She  tnoaned  and  crept  chx'^er 
to  him. 

"For  her  I  hecame  an  Eta  —  an  outcast. 
Do  not  shudder,  my  daughter,  lias  the  word, 
then,  so  evil  a  soimd?  Then  I  jierceive  you 
have  heen  wronudy  bred  —  in  the  scIkm)!  of 
prejudice.  The  lOta,  though  an  outcast,  is 
a  human  beinu; — more  human,  indeed,  ihan 
many  of  our  (ii.sd.iinful  lords  who  ride  o\er 
their  heads  and  tramjjle  them  like  insects  be- 
neath their  feet." 

"Tell  me  of  my  mother,"  she  whis|)ered. 

"Of  her  antecedents  I  know  nauuht  and 
care  less.  Iler  honoral)le  j^^randmother  stdl 
abides  here  in  my  house." 

"Old  Madame  \hmie?" 

"Ves." 

"Continue.     Pray  do  so." 

"After  my  marriaufe  I  was  cast  off  im- 
mediately by  my  prince,  my  titles  and  honors 
were  taken  from  me,  my  ])roi)erty  confiscated. 
For  all  this  I  cared  nolhinsj;.  I  was  content 
and  haj)py  to  be  left  at  i)eace  with  my  wife." 

His  l(jn!:.  thin  iin^ers  clinched  and  un- 
clinched.  He  moistened  his  lips,  biting  into 
them. 

"  Did  I  say  that  this  prince  under  whom 
I  served  was  arn)uant  and  cruel?  Did  I  tell 
vou  he  had  a  heart  of    Hint  and  a  pride  so 


112 


2C 


M 


fcJt 


'^ 


'  4  — qt  T^  -XI 


^ 


induinitablc  that  he  would  not  brook  one  of 
his  samurai  bcin^j  other  than  of  noble  birth? 
Six  of  his  vassals,  the  most  j^^raceless  and 
worthless  in  the  province,  to  humor  his  pleas- 
ure, utulert(K)k  to  seek  me  out  in  my  exiled 
hajipiness  and  enf^aue  to  make  life  intolerable 
for  me.  Whether  their  actual  intention  was 
evil  or  not,  I  cannot  say ;  that  they  wrought 
evil  is  all  I  know,  and  that  they  came  with 
the  exj)ress  knowledge  and  c«)nsent  of  their 
prmce. " 

Wistaria  observed  that  her  father  was  trem- 
bliui^  so  violently  that  he  scarce  coidd  si)eak. 
She  i)ressed  his  hands  convulsively  within 
her  own. 

"S|)eak  quickly,  my  father,"  she  implored. 

"  They  nuirdered  her,"  he  whispered,  hoarse- 
h'.  "Curses  and  maledictions  uixjn  iheir 
souls'." 


-fF 


=3E: 


f 


J} 


¥ 


HE    death    of    the    niolhcr    of 
Wistaria    had    taken    ilacc    the 
day  after  the  j^irl's  birth.     Iler 
father  had   left  his  youni^f  Eta 
wife    to    iio    to    the    vilhi^'e    to 
purchase    nudieines    and    fo(Kl. 
She  was  in  tlie  care  of  her  j^rand- 
nuither,  who  was  old  and  weak, 
and  J  owerless  to  I'rotect  her. 
'1  he  Mori  .saiiuirai,  ah  of  them 
4  in   a   sla'.e  of  sava^a^   intoxica- 
tion,  had    cone    to    the    house 
deniandintr  and  callir.ji;  for  Shi- 
niadzu.     They  had  been  drinU- 
inu;  h.eavily  all  day,  and  swore 
they  wov.ld  have  their  liiial  cup 
with   ib.eir  former  comrade. 

-: ,— -^ izz  3~=i: 

114 


^- 


^4: 


4 


^___ ^^ ^ :^ j~ 


:^ 


When  Madame  Mume  assured  thciii  (tf  his 
absence,  they  insisted  utH)n  enterin^j  the 
house,  and,  pushinj^  past  the  old  woman, 
straightway  took  iK)ssession  of  the  place. 
One  of  I'.icir  number  su^i^a'sted  that  in  the 
absence  of  Sliimadzu  they  nuist  be  enter- 
taincxl  by  his  F^ta  wife,  whereuiH)n  the  oth- 
ers, takinii:^  up  the  cry,  boisterously  began  to 
shout  for  the  hostess  t)f  the  house. 

Meanwhile  llie  yount;  wife,  very  weak  and 
ill  from  her  recent  confinement,  listened  with 
feverish  excitement  to  the  loud  voices  and  the 
bedlam  of  noises  now  rattling  through  the  lit- 
tle cottage.  Fearful  for  the  safety  of  her  lord, 
in  a  moment  of  delirium  she  arose  from  her 
sick  bed  t(j  go  to  them,  staggering  through 
the  dividing  rooms  until  she  came  to  the  ribald 
debauchees. 

As  she  pushed  aside  the  sliding  doors  and 
stoixl  in  the  of)etung,  her  white  bed-rob<>s  about 
her,  she  seemed  like  an  apparition.  A  sudden 
silence  fell  ujHni  the  revellers.  It  was  broken 
by  a  samurai  whose  sake  cuj)  dropi)cd  from 
his  nerveless  hand  to  the  floor,  where  it  shat- 
terefl  into  fragments. 

The  next  instant  there  was  a  general  move- 
ment towards  the  figure  between  the  shoji. 
That  simultaneous,  half-savatie  advance  seem- 
ed to  snap  the  last  vital  cord  in  the  woman. 
When  they  reached  her  she  no  longer  swayed 
between  the  shoji.  They  bent  over  her  in  va- 
rious attitudes  of  horror,  where  she  lay  prone 

=n: a : 


t: 


3^: 


_i 


r 


c4l 


n —        t-;^ 


z:3: 


H 

,i..i. 


at  tlu'ir  fivl.a  wluti,  cnislud  thiiii,'  w  Im.'-c  (Uli- 
calc  life  had  Ikcu  !)ru(ally  snurfLd  out  forever. 

With  a  loud  cry  of  fear  and  dismay  tluy 
rushed  from  the  chamher,  out  from  the  house 
into  the  opi'ii  air.  where  their  hifotr^ed  hraiii.s 
still  seemed  to  hehold  a  vision  of  ati  aveiij^'iiiL,', 
pursuiiiLi  spirit. 

Hearing  the  wailing  cries  (;f  the  old  grand- 
mother while  he  was  yet  afar  olT  from  the 
house,  Shimadzu  he^an  to  run  at  his  utmost 
sjK'ed,  a  premonition  of  disaster  forcinu  itself 
u\Hm  him.  I'p  the  lulloeks  he  spid.  A  mo- 
ment of  fearful,  strivinLi  effort  and  he  was  l)e- 
side  the  old  woman.  Something  froze  in  Shi- 
madzu, paralyziuif  his  faculties.  Power  of 
sj)eech  and  movement  was  trone. 

The  old  \.<>inan  caught  his  arm,  shook  it, 
and  i^iucd  with  her  fading  eyesight  into  his 
starint^  eyes. 

"Master,  master!"  she  cried. 

He  only  stared  at  the  figure  uinm  the  fioor. 
The  old  woman  rushed  from  the  house,  shriek- 
ing and  calling  aloud  for  helj).  Neighbors 
came  rushing  up  from  the  little  village  below 
and  began  to  fill  the  house.  They  tried  to 
arouse  the  stricken  .samurai,  but  he  heeded 
them  not.  But  when  they  altemptcxl  to  move 
the  young  wife,  a  strange  guttural  sound  of 
savage  protest  escajK'd  his  lips,  so  that  they 
dared  not  touch  her. 

Then  the  neighbors  mingled  their  cries  with 
those  of  the  old  woman,  and   the  house  of 


X 


ixG 


X 


=ip 


J?'»9T**  ^>J 


^"^ns- 


:mc^m^^P^^^^^^-^^r^^^^^i 


H* 


^^^ 


TOE  .H/oojr^o  Of  v;iSTAR»A     n 

f ^  .^  — — '^. — =rr — y-j 


death  Wii.s  rciulcrcd  hide  )ii.s  with  their  ecu; v- 
k'ss  moaning;  and  the  niufllttl  Scatinj;  of 
Sliinto  drums. 

All  iu\i\\i  lon^  the  satmirai  crouched  in 
that  paralyzed  altitude  by  the  side  of  his 
wife.  Hut  in  the  iiionuiiu  strong  and  stout 
armed  men  from  the  vdlaiL^e,  disreirardin^j 
his  cries  of  |)rot(.st,  lifted  the  IxKly  of  the  wife 
ujK)!!  the  death -couch,  drew  the  lids  over 
the  staring  eyes,  closed  the  frothed  mouth, 
where  the  teeth  shone  out  liUc  small  white 
fan^s,  and  folded  the  frozen  white  hands 
acro.ss  her  breast.  Then  the  samurai  came 
back  to  life — vivid,  horrible,  insane  life. 

Some  kindly  woman  brought  in  the  little 
Wistaria  and  held  her  towards  him  with  a 
l)ityin).x  exclamation,  knowing  that  this  little 
life  could  not  but  comfort  the  bereft  man. 
He  seized  the  child  wildly  in  his  arms.  Then 
holding  his  one-day-old  babe  over  the  dead 
body  of  his  wife,  he  swore  a  fearful  oath  of 
vem^eance. 

From  that  day  the  samurai  had  but  one 
purj)ose  in  life,  but  one  hope  uiid  ambition: 
to  encompass  tlie  ruin  and  death  of  tho.se  he 
deemed  the  murderers  of  his  wife.  It  \\i\\y- 
l)ened  that  he  came  of  a  iH)werful  family,  who, 
in  all  his  troubles,  had  ofTered  him  their  sym- 
jKithy  and  would  j^ladly  have  received  him 
back  anionic  them  in  sjjite  of  his  marriage  to 
an  ICta  girl.  They  were  in  hiu;h  favor  at  court, 
and  now  they  carried  his  case  to  the  Shogun 


3: 


3E: 


X 


^: 


#=» 


«7I» 


„    TilE.WOOjrSG  Of  ViSTAPJA     n 


(nr 


hitnsclf.  The  exiled  saniurai  was  forthwith 
ordered  to  apjajar  before  the  Shof^un,  who  had 
been  deeply  impressed  and  touehed  by  his 
sorrows,  and  who  had  cause  for  prejudice 
a^aitist  his  former  lord. 

The  ShoLfun  offered  to  force  his  lord  to 
restore  to  the  samurai  his  estates  atid  rani;, 
but  Shimadzu  fiercely  refused  to  accei)t  these 
favors,  wildly  declarini^  that  he  would  rather 
be  buried  alive  than  enter  the  service  of  such 
a  lord.  The  Shotgun,  still  anxious  to  i)leasc 
lis  family,  beijL,fed  him  to  make  some  re- 
(piest  which  it  would  be  in  liis  j)ower  to  j^'rant, 
whet' er  for  service  under  another  lord,  or 
at  court  in  attendance  u])on  his  own  person. 

"I  have  but  one  recpiest  to  make,  my  lord," 
responded  the  samurai. 

"That  is?-" 

"To  be  made  the  public  executioner." 

.All  these  things  the  Lady  Wistaria  now 
learned  for  the  first  tune.  She  was  as  one 
struck  down  by  a  sudden  shock  of  grief.  In 
one  little  hour  she  had  fallen  from  a  great 
height,  and  had  learned  of  things  that  had 
caused  her  to  quiver  with  anguish  and  shame. 
She  could  not  at  once  share  the  thought  of 
the  father  whose  wrongs  hauntcfl  him,  de^ 
manding  venecance  and  justice.  She  thought, 
instead,  of  other  things.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  the  public  executioner,  the  hangman! — 
an  Eta  girl — an  outcast!  The  odium  of  it 
all    crushed    her.      In    that,    hour    of    agony 


ii8 


X 


ff 


f^ 


^ 


w 


n 


TO£.VO<?JING  QP  V^iSTAPvlA 


2^ 


iia: 


jEz 


->tl3 


i* 


I: 


her  imaiL'iiiation  c(mjurecl  up  the  nol)le,  hiL,'h- 
])orn  face  of  her  lover,  lortiinnif  her  soul  with 
its  infinite  distance  from  her.  She  l<ne\v  now 
that  he  was  as  far  beyond  her  reach  as  the  sun. 

"Shrink  not,  my  daughter,"  came  her 
father's  voice  harshly  ujT<m  her  lhouf;hts ; 
"your  father's  hands  are  not  stained  in  the 
blood  of  any  of  his  fellow -men  save  those 
who  were  his  !)>•  di\inc  riuht.  To  underlines 
I  i^ave  the  pumshment  of  the  yniblic  criminal, 
but  to  myself  I  kept  the  sacred  task  of  seeking, 
tracliinu;,  ruimnu;,  and  kdlint^  with  my  own 
hands  the  destroyers  of  my  house." 

"  'Ihen,"  .said  \\  istaria,  in  a  stranj^ely  plead- 
ing voice, "  you  have  avem^ed  my  mother. 
All  is  done,  all  is  fimshed.  Oh,  my  father, 
let  us  forj^^et  all  this  ])ast,  and  ^o  away  where 
we  may  not  be  knowii  and  pass  our  days  in 
[)eace  until  the  end." 

"  \ay,  all  is  not  done,"  replied  the  father. 
"Yi)U  forj^et  that  while  I  have  had  the  holy 
joy  of  executint?  the  six  imirdcrers  of  my  wife, 
their  prince  still  lives." 

'Ah!" 

"Once  I  served  under  him,  honored  him 
above  all  men ;  now  I  desire  nothing  else 
on  earth  but  to  bow  his  head  in  the  dust. 
He  is  a  great  prince,  beyond  my  reach,  but  I 
have  sought  and  found  a  better  means  of 
striking  at  him.  For  this  purpose,  my  daugh- 
ter, I  need  your  aid." 

"You  mean — "  she  began. 


X 


i 


^ 


119 


^P 


^*FW* 


H 


L 


120 


-=3: 


^ 


H 


"This  IVince  of  Mori  is  the  man.  Xow 
you  understand.  His  heart,  his  whole  life, 
is  \vrai)[x;d  uj)  in  his  son.  Hut  yesterday, 
my  daughter,  I  caught  that  son  ni  the  trap 
which  1  set  through  you.  To-morrow  he 
l)ays  the  penalty  of  the  sins  of  his  father." 

Wistaria  ♦ottered  to  her  feet.  Then  she 
fell  on  lier  knees  and  crept  ui)on  them  to  her 
father. 

"Father,  dear,  my  father,  I  hc(T,  I  imi)lore 
you  to  show  mercy." 

"For  whom  do  you  ask  mercy,  my  lady?" 
asked  the  father. 

"For  the  innocent — for  this  vounj^f  Prince 
of  Mori." 

"You — \'ou  ask  mercy  for  this  prince! — 
you,  the  daughter  of  a  nuirdered  womaTiI" 
In  an  instant  she  was  sitting,'  up  stifT  and 
rij.^id. 

"My  lord,"  she  said,  "T  am,  indeed,  too  in- 
significant and  xuiworthy  to  he  tli  >  daut^hter, 
but  for  one  small  moment  I  did  forget  our 
wronj^s  and  fain  would  have  speired  my  soul 
the  sacrifice  of  innocent  blood.'' 


1= 


•r 


^ 


ARLY  in  the  mnrninp  the 
inhabitants  of  the  hllle  ICta 
villatie  were  startled  by  the 
unusual  sound  iia  the  streets 
of  the  "  elii)-elop"  of  jtalanquin 
runners'  sandals.  The  I-^ta 
were  not  used  to  beini^  carried 
in  gilded  norinions,  or  of  trav- 
ellini^  in  any  other  fashion 
than  or.  foot.  Con.scquently, 
the  specf'icle  of  an  extiuisile- 
ly  finished  noriuion,  carried  on 
the  shoulders  of  liveried  at- 
tendants, created  as  much  stir 
as  it  is  |>ossible  for  the  i)lacid 
Japanese  to  manifest.  The 
bamboo  curtains  of  the  noriiuon 


't?\ 


I3E: 

121 


X 


'f^ 


cz5=?; 


TOE-VJOOjiNG  Of  V)5TAPv)A 


-St- 


:X: 


^ 


'^ 


C=?!- 


wcre  closclv  drawn.  The  runners  sixd  f-wiftlv 
alone,  paying  no  liccd  to  the  raised  shutters 
or  the  curious  eyes  at  the  wall  holes.  On 
cither  side  of  the  palanquin  two  couriers  or 
fx^rsonal  samurai  walked. 

The  runners  sto])ped  before  the  house  of 
Shiinadzu,  and,  having  thrown  aside  the 
curtains,  bowed  low  as  they  backed  before 
a  veiled  lady,  who  stepped  from  t!ae  norimon. 
The  lady,  however,  unmindfid  of  her  bend- 
ing servitors,  hurried  uj)  the  gravelled  path- 
way* to  beat  upon  the  door  v.ilh  her  delicate 
fists. 

The  early  morning  visitor  entered  the 
hou.se  before  the  Lady  Wistaria  had  descended 
from  her  chamber.  When  she  threw  back 
the  covering  from  her  head,  the  proud  face 
of  the  Lady  Evening  Glory  appeared  with 
all  its  cold  beauty  and  strange  pallor.  Her 
lips  trembled  so  that  she  could  not  keep  them 
together. 

She  had  travelled  all  night  in  the  utmost 
haste  to  throw  herself  at  the  feet  of  her  brother, 
praying  his  mercy  for  the  young  Prince  of 
Mori.  She  did  not  wait  for  her  brother  to 
question  her,  but  began  at  once  a  pitiful,  dis- 
jointed tale  concerning  her  son  Toro 

The  young  man  had  involved  himself  in 
great  trouble  in  the  Cho.shui  province,  and 
was  now  held  a  y^risoner  l)y  the  Prince  of 
Mori.  Toro,  the  foolhardy,  imitating  the  ac- 
tions of  the  j'oung  courtier  of  the  Mori  clan, 


¥ 


3E=: 

122 


X 


1p 


3 


r 


Jb 


f^ 


had  fared  badly.     Caught  scaling  the  walls 
surrounding  the   pakice   of  the   father  of  the 
Lady  Hollyhock,  he  had  been  arrested  and 
brought    before    the    Prince    of    Mori.     This 
nobleman  had  at  first  nitcnded  to  return  the 
young    fellow    to    his    neighbor    courteously, 
with  some  satirical  rebuke  which  would  scorch 
the  vanity  of  the  boy's   father,  but  just   at 
this  juncture  had  come  the  fearful  intelligence 
of   the   arrest,   secret   trial    for   treason,   and 
sentence  to  death  of  the  young  heir  of  Mori. 
The   old    Prince,   rendered    frantic    with    fear 
and   angui.sh,   dcsi)atched   word   immediately 
to  Catzu  that  unless  the  Prince  Reiki  were 
spared,  the  same   fate  should  be  meted  out 
to  the  young  Catzu  Toro. 

So  the  Lady  Evening  Glory  had  come 
now  to  her  brother  to  demand,  to  beg  the 
pardon  of  their  enemy,  this  young  Prince 
of  Mori,  while  her  husband  had  hastened 
to  Yedo  to  seek  the  aid  of  the  Shogun.  Never- 
theless, both  father  and  mother  knew  that 
the  fate  of  their  son  depended  not  upon  the 
august  Shogun,  but  upon  their  brother,  the 
samurai  Shimadzu,  for  the  Shogun  would 
scarcely  have  time  to  send  forces  to  compel 
Mori  to  release  Toro  before  the  execution  of 
Keiki  took  place,  which  would  be  undoubt- 
eiUy  the  signal  for  the  immediate  despatch 

of  Toro. 

The  unexpected  answer  the  lady  received 
from  her  brother  stunned  her  so  completely 


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tliat  she  was  robhal  of  all  hope.  Xow  she 
suffered  in  turn  all  the  jianu's  of  frantic  desjiair 
and  auony  that  her  niece  had  so  lately  under- 
f^rone  ihrouuh  her  agency. 

"WliatI"  cried  the  sanuirai,  with  stern 
derision,  "|)erinit  the  ccnsuniination  of  the 
work  of  a  lifetime  of  misery  and  torture  io 
slij)  throuuh  my  achinu;  linirers  now?  Not 
for  a  thousand  nej thews!" 

Vet  he  endeavored  in  his  rouu;!;  and  stetn 
way  to  comfort  his  sister  with  these  strange 
words : 

"Catzu  Toro  is  of  samurai  1>1o<k1.  It  he- 
hooves  him,  therefore,  to  u,ive  up  fearlessly 
his  life  for  the  h(jnor  of  his  fannly.  lie  ouu,ht 
to  hless  the  trods  for  the  oiiportunity." 

The  mother  wept,  prayed,  threatened.  All 
in  vain.  Shimad/.u  was  inilexible.  Mean- 
while the  hour  which  had  been  set  for  the 
extxution  of  the  yount;  Prince  of  Mori  a])- 
jiroached  with  more  than  the  natural  sjKed 
of  time,  and  the  Lady  F.veninjj;  (llory's  cou- 
riers, the  samurai  C'icnji  and  M.-.t;  ue,  waited  in 
au:onized  imjtatience  for  word  of  truce  to  carry 
to  the  old  Prince  of  Mori. 

Findinu"  all  her  efforts  to  move  her  brother 
unavailing:,  the  Lady  of  Catzu  .souirht  des- 
^-)  i)erately  thouu;h  impotenlly  to  bar  his  etxress 
from  the  room.  Slie  clutched  the  dividint: 
shoji  which  oitened  into  the  corridor,  then 
placed  her  back  against  them.  When  Shi- 
madzu   turned    to   the  doors  on   the  opi)osite 


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Kidc  she  rushed  l)ef(ire  him,  aiul  auaiii  siuulU 
to  ])reveiit  his  departure.  l-"iriiily,  Inn  \\<<[  iiii 
peiUly,  Sliiiiuidzu  ]>u{  lier  aside,  wliereuiKHi 
she  fell  down  at  his  feel,  claspiim  her  arms 
about  his  let^s,  while  her  lijis  eniilled  straime 
and  piteous  outcries. 

Vet  what  couK'.  the  utmast  strcnuth  of  a 
delicate  lady  do  a<-rainst  that  of  a  samurai 
man?  With  one  (luick  movement  he  freed 
himself  from  her  climrint^  hands.  The  next 
moment  the  Lady  ICvenini^  dlory  was  (piite 
alone.  She  suddenly  realized  that  the  ^ods 
had  denied  her  all  succor,  and  crawled  across 
the  room  until  she  stood  in  front  of  the 
small  slirine  in  the  phice  of  the  lokonona. 
There  she  ])rostrated  herself,  but  her  lips 
could  not  frame  themselves  in  i)etition  to  the 
gcxls. 

How  lone  she  lay  thus  she  could  not  have 
told.  (iradualK'  she  ])ecame  con.scious  that 
some  one  was  kneeling  beside  her,  and  that 
a  soft  and  tender  hand  was  smoothincr  back 
the  wild  hair  that  esc-qx-'d  about  her  face.  A 
gentle  voice  whisi)cred : 

"The  gmls  are  gcxxl — k<mx1!  Take  heart! 
They  will  not  desert  us!     The  gixls  art   > ,)ckI I" 

Then  the  proud  Lady  of  Catzu,  raising  her- 
self to  a  kneeling  jK^sture,  gazing  u\i  into 
the  bendmg,  j)itying  face  above  her,  saw  her 
niece,  whom  she  had  so  \indictively  jxTse- 
cuted.  Before  she  could  speak  one  word.  Wis- 
taria drew  her  hand  to  her  breast.     Then  the 


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bereaved  mother  gave  way  to  a  passion  of 
tears  of  weakness  and  despair. 

"  You  are  calmer  now,  dear  avmt,"  said 
the  Lady  Wistaria  after  a  while.  "Wee])  no 
more,  I  j)ray  you.  But  try  rather  to  bring 
your  niiiul  to  think  clearly  with  mine.  We 
must  conceive  some  way  by  which  we  can 
outwit  my  honorable  parent.  We  have  yet 
two  hours  before  the  time  when  my  father 
will  depart  for — for  his  prisoner." 

But  the  after-effects  of  weejung,  great  sighs, 
rendered  the  Lady  Lvening  (llory  speechless. 
She  could  only  shake  her  head  hopelessly, 
heli)lossly. 

"All  night  long,"  said  Wistaria,  "I  have 
kept  a  vigil.  I  hive  thought  and  thought 
and  thought,  untd  my  brain  has  seemed 
ready  to  burst.  I,  too,  my  lady,  have  yielded 
myself  to  such  des])air  as  you  now  feel.  I 
suffer  more  than  the  pain  of  one  who  loses 
a  beloved,  for  I  am  tortured  with  the  knowl- 
edge that  I  am  guilly.  Oli,  lady,  was  it  not 
I  who  betrayed  this  prince,  and  would  I  not 
be  the  iudircct  cause  of  dear  Toro's  death 
also?  Therefore  it  is  my  task  to  save  the  life 
of  this  prince,  if  that  can  be  done." 

"But  it  cannot — cannot,"  moaned  the  Lady 
Evening  Glory.  "Thou  knowest  not  thy 
father!" 

"And  yet,"  said  Wistaria,  slowly,  "I  have 
thousiht  of  one  wav." 

"Anata!" 


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"  Tell  me  first,  my  lady,  is  it  not  so — that 
one  who  marries  an  Eta  is  fore%er  after  di»- 
ijraced — branded?" 

"  Ves,  yes,  that  is  true — but — " 

"  It  is  of  imiK)rtance  that  I  know  all  this. 
Now  is  it  not  also  true  that  my  father's  chief 
ambition  is  to  break  the  pride  and  spirit  of 
the  old  Lord  Mori?" 

"  Yes,  it  is  so,  it  is  so." 

"Then,  my  lady,  be  comforted.  Mayhap 
I  shall  find  a  solution  to  all  our  troubles." 

Arisinp,  gently  she  took  her  arms  from 
about  her  aunt  to  hasten  into  the  adjoining 
chamber.  Her  voice  addressing  the  Madame 
Mume  came  to  the  Lady  Evening  Glory. 

"Tell  my  honorable  father,"  she  said, 
"  that  I  beg  for  just  one  minute  of  his  hon- 
orable time." 

When  she  returned  to  her  aunt  her  face 
had  a  waii  liitle  smile  of  hope  on  it.  The 
samurai  Shimadzu  followed  her  into  the 
room.  Wistaria  prostrated  herself  before  him 
with  the  utmost  humility. 

"  You  have  asked  for  an  audience,  ray  lady. 
Speak  quickly,  for  I  .  ve  work  to  do  ere 
long." 

"  Honored  parent,"  said  Wistaria,  with  her 
eyes  upon  his,  "I  have  thought  much  upon 
what  thou  wert  pleased  to  tell  me  last  night." 

"Indeed." 

"And,  my  father,  the  more  I  have  thought 
of  the  matter  the  greater  have  the  wrongs 


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of  my  father  aiul   iiiiiiL',   Uiosl'  of  our  house, 
appi'arcd  to  me  Id  1)c. 

"Tliou  siieakesl  imw,"  said  tlic  samurai, 
(juic'tly,  "as  hLVouKs  an  honorable  daughter. " 

"Oh,  luy  father,  .so  deeply  do  I  feci  the 
wrotms  of  our  house  that  I  have  felt  that  e\eti 
the  \ery  death  of  this  vounu  prince  would  not 
be  a  suliicient  veHLreance.  " 

She  was  speakinu;  slowly  and  distinctly, 
so  that  each  sentence  should  take  elTect  ujxjn 
her  father. 

"Having  l)roken  the  heart  and  sj)irit  of 
my  enemy,"  said  Shimadzu,  "  I  shall  have  ac- 
comi>hshed  all.  It  will  be  suliicient,  and  my 
work,  my  duty,  will  then  be  consummated." 

"  liut  think  you,  my  father,  that  by  the 
killinu;  of  this  i)rince  you  wdl  indeed  have 
broken  the  heart  and  spirit  of  your  enemy?" 

"Ay!  I'or  I  .shall  have  robbed  him  of 
that  thiuLC  which  he  prizes  alx)ve  all  else  on 
earth — his  sonl" 

"  But  has  he  not  seven  other  sons  who 
would  (puckly  fill  the  place  of  this  one?" 

"  That  is  .so.  Were  it  jx^ssible  for  me  to 
have  seven  instead  of  one  Mori  prince  for 
execution  this  day,  I  would  be  seven  times 
the  happier." 

"August  father,  you  have  taueht  me,  and 
I  have  learned,  that  death  is  not  the  preate.st 
of  sorrows  that  can  befall  us.  Execute  this 
l)rince  and  he  will  quickly  pass  into  another 
world,    where   the   fates   niay   befriend   him. 


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He  will  be  beyond  our  reach.  In  the  eyes 
of  his  parent  he  will  have  died  an  heroic  and 
exalted  death,  since  he  gives  up  liis  life  for 
what  he  deems  a  noble  cause.  Oh,  my  father, 
in  all  the  empire  of  Japan,  what  Imperialist 
would  not  envy  him  such  a  death?  No,  the 
death  of  this  prince  would  be  inadequate  re- 
venue for  the  wronf^s  we  have  sufTered.  Far 
better  if  he  could  be  forced  to  live  so  that  he 
mij^^ht  sulTer  the  devils  of  pain  to  gnaw  at 
his  heart  all  the  rest  of  his  life." 

"  Th.o'.;  wouldst  liave  him  spared  for  pur- 
poses of  torture?" 

"  Ves,  honored  father." 

"Thou  art  indeed  a  woman,"  said  the  sa- 
murai. "  Vet  i:  samurai's  sword  has  never 
been  turned  to  such  a  purpose." 

"That  is  right,  for  your  honoraljlc  sword 
is  not  sufficiently  sharp,  my  father." 

"Thou  speakest  darkly,  my  daughter." 

"I  have  thought  darkly  of  our  v/rongs, 
my  father.  I  have  found  a  more  refined  re- 
venge to  inflict  upon  this  prince,  one  which 
would  wound  him  more  deeply  than  the  death 
of  one  of  his  eight  sons." 

"Well,  and  what  is  your  revenge?" 

"  First  answer  me  this :  What  would  be  the 
feelings  of  this  proud  and  arrogant  prince 
if  his  idolized  heir  were  to  be  guilty  of 
that  ver>'  fault  for  which  he  exiled  liis  sa- 


mur-^i 


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"What  fault?" 


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a    stranj^'c 
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"  'I'lic  faiill  (A  iiiarryiiiLj  into  a  dcj^radcd  and 
outcast  class." 

The     samurai     started.     Then 
sriulc  flitted  across  his  thin  face 

"Ills   pride   would    fall.      Sui  h 
would  crusn — bend — kill  hiui!" 

"True.  Then  if  Ins  pride  is  such,  let  us 
strike  at  it  Ix'fore  his  heart.  I  think  I  see  a 
wav  hv  which   this  can  he  acccnijilished." 

••How?" 

"  HriiiLj  this  youns^'  i)rince  hither.  Leave 
him  to  mel" 


^ 


1 o  you! 

She  went  very  dose  to  her  father  and  raised 
her  face  ujjwiird  so  that  he  imt^ht  see  it  i)er- 
fectly. 

"  Look  upon  me,  honorable  parent.  Am 
I  not  fair?  Hrinir  hither  this  son  of  an  evil 
prince,  and  in  twenty-four  hours  he  will  be 
ready  to  wed  an  ICta  maiden." 

"An  I'vta  maiden!"  suddenly  shrieked  her 
aunt.  "Who?  Not — "  She  made  an  inde- 
scribable gesture  towards  the  f^'irl. 

"L"  said  Wistaria,  throwing  back'  her 
L^ad — "I  am  an  I">ta  maiden,  my  lady."  She 
bowed  very  low,  then  moved  towards  the  door. 
Before  pa.ssing  out  she  turned. 

"  I  )j:o/'  she  said,  "  to  garb  myself  in  the 
dress  of  an  Eta  maiden.  But  do  not  Ixdieve, 
ray  lady  aunt,  that  I  shall  have  lost  that 
beauty  with  which  the  jj:ods  have  blessed  me, 
and  witli  which  I  shall  win  and  wed  this  Mori 


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prince  to  tlie  disasti-r  of  bis  linuschold  and 
the  triumph  of  my  father's." 

Wilh  that  she  was  uone  from  the  room. 
They  heard  her  hj^jht  feet  tlyiiiLT  up  to  her 
chamber  above. 

"  It  will  crush— bend— kill  the  father'"  mut- 
tered tlie  sanuirai,  softly.     "It  is  well!" 

"It  is  well!"  rei)eated  his  sister,  but  in  a 
different  tone. 


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«    TOE-WOOii^o  op  ViSTAPJA 


-'iC-^ 


HE  j'ounj^  Prince  of  Mori,  no 
longer  the  Shining  Prince  Rei- 
ki, lay  huddled  in  a  corner  of 
his  dungeon.  Vainly  he  had 
thrown  his  weight  against  the 
stone  doors,  onlj'  to  rebound, 
baflled  and  bruised.  \'ainly  he 
had  called  in  piercing  ac- 
cents for  help.  There  came  no 
resixmse  from  man  or  gods. 
L-  Only  his  frantic  voice,  fleeing 
3  like  the  wind  through  the  pas- 
sage-ways of  the  empty  prison, 
dark,  damp,  and  for  long  un- 
i^  used,  seemed  to  call  back  to 
him  in  the  m(x:king  tones  of  a 
demoniac. 


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A  prisoner!  A  prisoner!  He,  the  heir  of 
Mori,  the  hojx?,  the  idol  of  the  brave  Iniix:- 
rialists,  the  son  of  the  most  i)0\verful  prince 
in  all  Japan,  barring  not  even  the  Shogun 
himself!  A  prisoner!  Penned  like  a  common 
criminal  vithin  the  stone  walls  of  a  loath- 
some dungeon!  It  could  not  be  true.  It 
was  a  hideous  nightmare,  caused  by  that 
terrible,  ceaseless,  excruciating  pain  in  his 
head,  and  the  mad  turmoil  in  his  brain. 

He  had  been  captured  on  the  outskirts  of 
his   father's   province.     He   was   alone,   with 
not  one  vassal  or  retainer  in  attendance  upon 
him.     He  had   made   the  wildest   resistance. 
More   than   one   samurai    i^iid   with   his   life 
for  the  capture  of  the  Shining  Prince.     Over- 
l)owered  by  such  numbers  that  it  seemed  mad- 
ness not  to  yield,  Keiki  could  not  be  taken 
while  a  spark  of  life  remained  in  him  with 
which  to  resist.     Only  when  he  was  beaten 
quite  senseless  were  the  Shogun's  oflicers  and 
the  Catzu  samurai  able  to  capture  the  Prince. 
Even  then  many  of  the  samurai  refused  the 
inglorious  task  of  carrying  away  the  young 
Prince,  who  had  fought  against  them  with 
such  desperate  bravery.     To  drag  his  uncon- 
scious,   bleeding,    helpless    body    before    his 
judges   would  be   beneath   the  dignity   of   a 
samurai.     So  the  ofTice  was  assigned  to  some 
of  the  Shogun's  spies. 

When    Keiki    had    returned    to    conscious- 
ness he  was  as  one  in  a  dull  dream,  a  night- 

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TOE-VOOjiSG  Of  ViSTARJA 


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mare,  wherein  paiiiful  events  wove  a  net  about 
him  from  which  he  could  not  stir  or  move  to 
save  himseh'. 

The  trial  had  been  a  brief  one.  A  few  qucs- 
tiotis,  a  imillitude  of  ])roofs,  irrefutable  evi- 
dence, the  testimony  of  some  false  sanmrai 
now  become  a  ronin,  a  private  statement  by 
the  saimirai  Shimadzu  —  that  was  all.  No 
word  or  question  whatever  was  addressed  lo 
the  i)ris<)ner,  nor  was  he  j^iven  the  opiK)r- 
tunity  to  speak  in  his  own  defence,  had  he 
been  in  a  condition  to  do  so.  He  stood  be- 
tween two  uuards,  one  on  either  side,  while 
four  others  stood  before  him  and  a  score  at 
his  back. 

Keiki  was  quite  beyond  understanding 
the  proceediuRS,  and  only  the  Spartan  will 
of  the  samurai  lent  to  him  that  almost  un- 
natural strent,4h  by  which  he  stix>d  stoutly 
uiK)n  his  feet  while  his  head  swam.  Out  of 
a  multitude  of  surtjing  words  and  sentences 
otdy  one  word  reached  his  ears  and  penetrated 
to  his  con.sciousness — 
1  reason ! 

And  the  word  called  up  a  haunting  memory 
of  a  dark  and  stagnant  mor.t  wherein  the 
sacred  lotus  blos.soms,  symbolic  of  the  purity 
of  woman,  hid  the  treacherous  waters  be- 
neath, of  a  sloping  bank  where  the  grasses 
grew  hi  till  over  his  he;td,  and  the  willows  at 
the  bottom  waved  in  a  foot  of  water.  A  younii 
girl's  face  shone  out  of  this  strangely  mixed 

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backj^round.  It  was  very  lonjf  apo,  it  seemed 
to  Keiki,  and  ihouffh  her  face  was  quite  dim 
to  his  vision  now,  he  renieiiil)ered  that  it  was 
hke  unto  the  lotus,  ix;rfeclly  pure  and  j)cer- 
Icssly  beautiful,  only  l)ehind  her  beauty,  un- 
like that  of  the  lotus,  there  were  no  treacherous 
deeps  of  darklint^  waters.  Keiki  remembered 
vaguely  now  that  she  had  crawled  through 
the  willows,  throuji;h  the  moat,  j)erhai)S,  to 
come  to  him  to  warn  him  of  this  treason. 
Treason?     Whose? 

Thus    Reiki's    tangled    mind    followed    not 
the  mockery  of  the  trial,  nor  heeded  the  sono- 
rous voice  of  the  crier,  who  echoed  the  words 
of  the  Lord  Judge,  and  shouted  mechanically : 
"Guilty!     Death!" 

A  small  company  of  armed  men  led  him 
from  the  judgment-hall.  They  made  a  long 
journey,  marching  by  night.  Passive,  stupid- 
ly indifferent  to  everything,  Keiki  was  led  to 
prison. 

Only  when  they  had  locked  him  within  the 
em[)ty  stone  cell,  did  the  old,  i)assionate  re- 
bellion that  had  swayed  him  so  sa\agely 
when  he  had  resisted  cai)ture  break  out  with 
renewed  fury,  driving  in  a  Hash  his  apathetic 
dulness  from  him. 

His  captors  had  taken  his  two  swords  from 
him,  the  two  proud  swords  from  which  a 
samurai  must  never  part.  The  Prince  was 
to  become  lord  over  the  samurai,  yet  he  had 
been  trained  in  the  same  school,  and  with  as 


X 


^ 


135 


CtzSz 


t=# 


136 


X 


^ 


k 


severe  a  disci])line  as  that  of  the  simple  soldier. 
Had  they  loft  him  these,  his  samurai  swords, 
in  all  probability  the  Prince  would  have  ended 
his  misery.  As  it  was,  he  sjx-nt  the  night 
in  fruitless,  im|X)tent  raving.  Morning  found 
him  e.xhausted.  Even  the  samurai's  great 
power  of  will  over  the  phj'sical  body  could 
avail  him  no  longer. 

When  the  samurai  Shimadzu  unlocked  the 
door  of  the  cell  no  desj)erate,  wild-eyed  prince 
leaped  at  his  throat.  The  young  Prince  of 
Mori  lay  stretched  across  the  floor  of  the 
dungeon.  The  glittering  cords  of  his  coat, 
tho  golden  hii)-ca])e,  with  its  billowings  and 
embroiderings  of  dragons  and  falcons,  all 
the  late  luxurious  finery  which  had  earned 
for  him  the  sobriquet  of  "The  Shining 
Prince,"  and  which  were  also  the  insignia 
of  his  high  rank,  were  now  torn  and  stained 
with  the  cruellest  of  colors.  The  dark  hair 
fell  back,  clotted  with  the  perspiration  on  his 
noble  brow,  from  which  the  blue  veins  start- 
ed through  the  fine  skin.  The  long  lashes 
covered  the  eyes  and  swept  the  almost  boyish 
curves  of  the  death -white  cheeks.  His  lips 
were  parted,  and  he  was  still  raving,  but  in 
the  babbling,  weak,  piteous  fashion  of  one 
delirious  from  loss  of  blood. 

After  feeling  the  P'ince's  hands  and  head, 
Shimadzu  was  satisfied  with  his  condition. 
Roughly  binding  up  a  bad  woimd  upon  the 
shoulder,    he    called    for   a    stretcher.     Borne 


^ 


k 


Cr-S- 


!.• 


r« 


c=i^ 


:it 


io7 


X 


>^ 


upon  this  tcm{X)rary  couch,  straightway  the 
Prince  was  carried  to  the  home  of  the  execu- 
tioner. 

Meanwhile  Wistaria  had  made  ready  for 
the  reception  of  their  ex|)ected  guest.  Hav- 
ing taken  ofT  her  silken  omeshi  and  removed 
the  jewelled  ornaments  from  her  hair,  she  ap- 
{x;ared  in  a  rough  cotton  kimono,  of  a  hright 
red-and-yellow  pattern,  such  a  garment  as  a 
laboring  woman  or  one  of  the  heimin  would 
have  worn.  But  she  had  taken  esjiecial  pains 
with  her  hair  and  face.  The  shining,  dark 
locks,  which  formed  such  a  charming  frame 
for  her  be  i  .tiful  face,  were  spread  wide  and 
folded  bcick,  so  that  their  beauty  might  be 
exaggerated.  Because  she  was  pale,  as  one 
about  to  die  rather  than  to  wed,  she  had 
rubbed  ujKm  her  cheeks,  chin,  and  brow  bra- 
zen red  paint,  something  previously  she  would 
have  scorned  to  touch.  Instead  of  brighten- 
ing the  pallor  of  her  face,  however,  it  only 
heightened  its  haggardness. 

Wistaria  sat  in  the  centre  of  the  chill,  empty 
guest-room.  She  was  ."-luiling.  She  had  been 
smiling  ever  since  she  had  descended  from 
her  chamber.  Her  eyes  were  glassj',  and 
shared  not  in  that  forced,  blighting  smile 
which  she  wore  uiK)n  her  lips.  Very  still, 
like  an  automatic  j)uppet  with  the  works 
unwound  within  it,  .she  sat. 

The  Lady  Evening  (llory,  on  the  other 
hand,   flitted  back    and    forth    lilcc  a  restless 


% 


It 

i: 


T" 


Qz 


3 


— % 3i  1^ iz 


spirit.  Sometimes  she  jtaused  by  tlie  little, 
waiting  figure,  stiokintr  the  shiiiim:  head. 
But  in  her  heart  the  proud  Lady  of  Catzu 
had  little  sympathy  for  the  one  who  was  to 
be  sacrificed  to  the  ventreance  of  a  samurai. 
When  she  recalled  that  her  niece  was  renounc- 
ing her  lover  to  whotn  she  had  i)led^ed  her- 
self to  all  eternity,  she  thought,  with  the  selfish 
egotism  of  one  who  has  outgrown  her  own 
heart,  that  in  niarryinj^  a  prince,  even  though 
she  won  him  by  trickery,  certainly  her  niece 
would  be  faring  better  than  if  she  had  be- 
stowed herself  on  one  of  his  vassals. 

Then,  too,  Wistaria,  after  all,  was  merely  a 
female — an  Eta  maiden.  So  the  lady's  self- 
ish mind  fed  itself  upon  one  thought,  mingled 
hope  and  susjHin.se  for  the  fate  of  her  son. 

Wlien  the  sound  of  tram])ing  feet  were 
heard  without,  the  Lady  Wistaria  did  not 
stir,  but  the  cold  and  stately  Lady  of  Catzu 
went  rushing  across  the  room  to  fling  her.self 
against  the  window.  The  trami)  of  feet  grew 
louder,  deeper,  heavier.  They  smote  ujMni 
Wistaria's  ears  like  the  beat  of  vShinto  drums 
at  a  funeral.  Still  she  did  not  stir,  not  even 
when  the  doors  of  the  hou.se  were  ])ushed 
wide  ay)art  and  the  trami)ing  feet  entered, 
passed  through  the  outer  room,  and  then 
into  the  guest-room.  The  set  smile  uixin 
her  face  deepened.  Wistaria  laid  her  head 
to  the  mats,  prostrated  herself  in  exquisite, 
humble  greeting. 


^ 


■  T 


b' 


138 


GijLs 


rmMjooiuo  Of  >^stApjA 


3: 


^ 


h 


«*i 


Ip: 


Thus,  for  soine  time,  she  courtesied  low. 

Some  one  pulled  her  sleeve  She  sat  up 
aud  stared  at  the  figure  on  the  stretcher. 
They  had  set  it  down  beside  her  on  the  floor. 
Somewhere  in  another  part  of  the  hou.sc  she 
heard  dim  voices,  above  them  all  her  father's 
deep,  hollow  voice,  sounding  slranirc — clear. 

A  sort  of  awe  and  horrible  reverence  fell 
uix)n  her  as  .she  clutched  her  aunt's  hand. 
Then  the  two  half  crept,  half  crawled,  close 
to  the  stretcher.  Wistaria  looked  at  the 
face,  looked,  and  looked,  and  looked  again. 
A  heart-rending  shriek  burst  from  her  lips. 
She  fell  across  her  lover's  body,  spreading 
the  wings  of  her  sleeve  over  and  about  him, 
as  though  to  sliield  and  protect  him  from  all 
harm. 


3E= 

139 


Ir 


„    im  Mjooino  Of  \^iSTARi A 

(r=S-lF ^ ^-1 "f"  ^ 


ROT  HER,  you  were  surely 
blind  that  yi)U  did  not  recognize 
your  prisoner,"  said  the  Lady 
livening  (ilory,  after  the  lovers 
had  been  earned  from  the  room. 

"His   ajij^^arance,   my    lady, 
had  no  interest  for  me." 

"  Now    that    y<ni    arc    aware 
he  is  her  lover,  what  then?" 

"  All  that  is  very  fortunate. 
Whatever  doubt  I  may  have 
filter's  abilit}' 
Mori  prince 
into  marrying  her  is  now  set 
at  rest.  She  alrea.dy  ])osse.sses 
his  affection.  Nothing  remains, 
therefore,    to   be    done   save   to 


t 


h^ 


^ 


TO£.VOO)r>iGOi^  ViSTARiA 


^ 


^ 


brinj^  about  their  early  union.  This  shall  he 
edected  just  as  scx)n  as  the  youn^  man  re- 
gains suflicient  strength.     Meanwhile — " 

"  Meanwhile?" 

"  Vou  have  permi.ssion  to  despatch  word 
to  Choshui  that  a  delay  has  been  granted 
to  the  Prnice.  This  will  keep  iheiii  for  a  time 
from  attacking  Catzu  Toro.  Al.so,  the  shogun- 
ate,  availing  itself  of  the  time  t<>  march  upon 
Choshui,  will  rescue  your  son." 

"  But  will  not  the  Mori  immediately  retaliate 
by  sending  tr(K)ps  here  to  attempt  the  rescue 
of  their  own  prince?" 

"  Not  so,  since  the  whereabouts  of  their 
prince  is  entirely  unknown  to  them.  As 
you  are  aware,  his  trial  was  in  .secret.  Only 
the  shogunate  is  acquainted  with  his  present 
abcKle.  The  secret  will  be  guarded,  rest  as- 
sured. In  fact,  for  the  very  j)urjK)se  of  fore- 
stalling any  such  attemjH  on  the  part  of  the 
Mori,  they  have  j)laced  at  my  service  a  compa- 
ny of  soldiers  and  a  large  number  of  spies." 

"  What  are  your  intentions  with  regard 
to  this  Mori  prince?" 

"  He  shall  marry,  as  you  already  know ,  the 
Lady  Wistaria,  and  in  that  way  will  become 
an  outcast,  both  legally  and  morally." 

"And  after  their  nuirnage?" 

"Immediate  notification  of  the  fact  to  his 
father." 

"And  after  that?  What  of  the  order  from 
the  shogunate  touching  his  execution?" 

: 71 


X 


h 


M 


rzi 


141 


="\:* 


if  •»=  'T 


«: — — -3r==2K=X= 


c=» 


"It  shall  be  (k'slroycd.     I  have  ^iven  my 
ymwnisc  lo  my  dau^htLr. " 

"  But  when  this  fact  reaches  the  shof^uinate 
IK-'ople  they  will  resent  it,  and  will  never  jKniiit 
so  valuable  a  priscmer  t(»  escape  them.  They 
will  send  tnKjps,  if  necessary,  to  take  him  from 
you.  In  the  event  of  your  refusing  to  execute 
him,  they  will  find  another  who  will  do  so." 
"  Very  well ,  let  them  do  .so.  I  have  no  doubt, 
however,  that  the  Pritice  Kciki  will  escaiK.- 
them.  But  having  become  an  outca.st,  he 
will  be  useless  as  an  Imi)erialist  leader." 

"Which  does  not  alter  the  fact  that  the 
Shogun's  men  will  continue  to  fear  him. 
Even  now,  you  say,  theii  spies  and  soldiers 
are  lurking  about  on  all  sides.  I  tell  you  it  is 
quite  impt)ssible  for  him  to  escajx;  them  now." 
"  Well,  all  that  is  his  affair,  my  lady.  So 
far  as  I  am  concerned,  on  the  day  of  his  Eta 
marriage  I  shall  destroy  the  order  of  execu- 
tion." 

"Which  would  be  a  criminal  act,  and  one 
that  would  place  you  under  the  ban  of  the 

law." 

"  That  is  true,  but  I  shall  answer,  I  assure 
you,  for  whatever  unlawful  acts  I  have  com- 
mitted during  my  lifetime  to  a  higher  tribunal 
than  any  that  could  be  formtxl  by  the  august 
shogunate." 

"Brother,  what  do  your  words  nnply? 

"  Sister,  I  cannot  answer  that  question  yet. 
Wlien  my  purjiose  in  life  is  accomplished  you 

-n -^  T     


142 


v"^':^r,':r 


k 


'^ 


J 


shall  have  tlie  answer.     And  after  that,  will 
you  iHjrfonn  a  favor  for  nie?" 
"Certainlv." 

"The  Lady  Wistaria  vill  he  alone." 
"Alone'  Sh'j  will  have  a  hushand." 
"She  will  he  alone,  I  repeat.  Do  you  stifv 
IM)se  I  should  rest  i)eacefully  in  my  grave 
with  the  knowledge  that  the  I)1(hk1  of  Mori 
was  ininulintj  with  my  own?  I  rejicat  once 
more,  my  daughter  will  he  (juite  alone,  sister. 
Be  gentle  with  her,  and  as  tender  and  kind 
as  it  is  jMissible  for  one  woman  to  he  to  an- 
other. She  will  not  lack  for  worldly  wealth, 
for  I  shall  le..vc  her  a  fortune.  I  do  not  wish 
her  to  return  to  Catzu.  I  desire  that  a  small 
temple  shall  be  built  for  her  somewhere  in  a 
quiet  and  remote  region.  There  I  wish  her 
to  become  a  high  i)riestess,  to  devote  the  re- 
mainder of  her  life  to  works  of  holiness  and 
charity.  In  this  way  she  will  atone  for  the 
many  sins  of  her  father,  and  the  g(xls  will 
listen  to  her  j)ravers  and  show  charity  to  his 
soul." 

"  Oh,  brother,  from  your  words  I  begin  to 
have  lamentable  fears  that  you  contemplate 
connnitting  some  frightful  harm  to  your- 
.self. " 

"  We  are  children  of  the  same  father,  my 
Ic'idy.  Your  words  surprise  me.  Surely  they 
are  unbefitting  one  of  your  blood  and  rank. 
Do  you  see  any  disgrace  in  my  contempla- 
tions?    I  would  rather  wi.sh  that   vou  would 


a: 


=3E= 

M3 


X 


^ 


# 


»■ 


^  ^-r~         ^ _X=r_:ir_JE^ — —  O 

urnc  inc  to  lh;il  deal  y..u  appear  todnad.  for 
otherwise  n.v  life  wnuld  be  w.lhoul  honer^ 
Therefore  lav  aside  your  uiuvurthy  fears  and 
assure  me  that  v..u  udUarry  out  my  wishes. 

"  1  shall  do  so,  ani-san"  (elder  brother),  she 
rcplietl,  somewhat  brolanly. 

"That  is  all,  then.     Why  do  you  wait? 
"  Vnr  a  letter  siiL^ned  bv  you  as  exeeutu>ner, 
statm^i  that  the  execution  has  been  iH.stiK.ned 
nKlelimtely.     We  must  put  'l<.ro  s  safety  for 
the  nexl  few  days  beyond  a  doubt. 

Hastily   writiim   a   few   words   .i;Am   pfMXT 
the  samurai  handed  it  to  his  s.sler,  who  se./.a 
It  eaua-rlv.     Then,  havnm  examined  the  scroll 
carefuUv,  she  nuirmured  a  few  words  of  thanks 
and  prepared  to  leave  the  room.     The  samurai 

slaved  her. 

"One  moment.     Hy  whom  do  you  scud  this 

paper  to  Choshui?" 

'•  I  have  two  couriers." 

"Well,  Init  one  of  these  samurai  must  at- 
tend you  to  Catzu." 

"Certainly."  .  ,, 

"Then  onlv  one  can  be  sent  to  Choshm. 

"  But  why  so?  I  shall  not  leave  here  untd 
my  couriers  return  with  inlelliyencc  iis  to 
the  fate  of  my  son." 

"I   can   assure   vtm,   my   lady,   that   your 
couriers  will  not  return,  and  I  should  advise 
you  to  part  with  but  one  of  the  two  samurai 
attending  vou." 
"Why--'*' 


* 


f« 


^ 


■-4=.-^     1-. 


i %  -^ — : — y nr 


=#- 


I 


"  The  Mori  ih.'o|)1c  will  not  let  this  courier 
depart,  rest  assured,  unless  he  divulge  the 
hidinij-place  of  their  prince.  This  no  sanuirai 
would  ever  do.  If  your  courier  has  not  the 
Wit,  therefore,  to  deceive  the  Mori,  I  aiu  very 
much  afraid  his  life  will  be  endanj;ered  by 
this  undertaking" 

"And  what  sanuirai,"  inquired  the  lady, 
quickly,  "would  not  welcome  the  chance  of 
thus  ^ivinj^  uj)  his  life  in  the  service  of  his 
lord?  What  I  have  to  (Kcide  now  is,  which 
of  the  two  sanuirai  to  .send,  for  each  will  claim 
the  privilege  of  the  undertaking." 

"What  are  their  names?" 

"Sir  Ni.shimua  Matsue  and  Sir  Takcmoto 
Genji.  The  former  has  been  in  my  lord'o 
service  for  twenty  years,  and  is  so  trusted 
by  him  that  whenever  I  am  forced  to  travel 
alone,  as  at  the  j)resent  lime,  my  lord  intrusts 
me  to  his  esj)ccial  care.  Vou  are  already  ac- 
quainted with  the  history  of  the  other,  Sir 
(lenji.  He  was  one  of  your  own  comrades  in 
Choshui,  but  after  your  exile  he  deserted  the 
Mori  and  became  a  ronin.  Afterwards  my  lord 
pre.s.sed  him  into  our  service,  and  he  became  at- 
tached personally  to  I.ady  Wistaria.  Vou  will 
see,  therefore,  that  it  is  a  dilTicult  matter  for  me 
to  choose  between  these  two  brave  gentlemen." 

"Not  at  all.  There  is  not  the  slightest 
doubt  in  my  mind  as  to  which  is  the  most 
fit  for  the  service.  Bid  the  samurai  Genji 
come  hither,  if  j-ou  pleaoo." 


X 


f 


A 


nfcia 


145 


-  ■* 

::! 


n 


« 


4 


A  few  minutes  later  the  bi^  sainurai  C.enji 
and  Shitnadzu  were  bcwin^  deeply  to  each 
other  Fruni  their  low  bows  of  silent  courtesy 
it  was  hard  to  believe  that  these  two  men 
had  once  been  the  closest  of  friends  and  com- 
rades in  arms.  Now  they  met  a^ain  after 
many  years  of  separation,  vet  neither  ex- 
hibited that  emotion  which  lay  at  the  bot- 
tom of  their  hearts.  Shimadzu  did  not  even 
allow  opportunity  for  the  usual  exchanj^^e 
of    compliments,    but    went    straight    to    the 

point.  , , 

'•My  good  friend,  vour  lady,  my  honoral)le 
sister ,^"  said  he,  "  has  an  augu.st  mission  f.>r 
you  to  i)erform,  but  one  fraught  with  exceed- 
ing great  danger,  and  of  a  delicate  and  diplo 
niatic  nature  withal." 

The  samurai  bowed  calmly,  as  though  the 
fiict  of  the  danger  were  as  indifferent  a  matter 
to  him  as  the  mission  itself. 

"  In  fact,  she  wishes  you  to  carry  word  to 
Choshui  of 'the  ,x)stiH)nement  of  Prince  Keiki's 
execution.  I  need  not  point  out  to  y«ni  the 
dangers  of  such  a  mission.  The  Mori  will 
insist  UT)on  vour  revealing  the  place  of  im- 
prisonment of  their  prince,  and  uixm  your 
refusing  to  do  so  will  Uxkc  drastic  measures 
to  comix^l  you.  These  ix^rils.  however,  will 
be  to  vour  liking,  I  am  sure." 

"TJ  mv   liking,    that   is   so,"   said   Genji, 

"but-"      "  ,  T^  • 

"What?"    interrupted    the    Lady    hvening 


-5C — -- 


146 


i^ 


Glory.  "You  hesitate!  You  do  not  set  off 
at  once!" 

"I  do  not  hesitate,  tny  lad}',"  replied  the 
samurai,  bowing  respectfulh'.  "I  refuse.  I  do 
not  set  off  at  once  becau.se  I  am  not  going." 

The  Lady  Evening  (Uory  could  scarcely  be- 
lieve her  ears.  Never  in  her  memory  had  a 
samurai  refused  to  do  the  bidding  of  his  lord 
or  lady.  That  Geaii,  of  all  samurai,  should  do 
so,  astounded  her.  Nevertheless  she  brought 
herself  to  listen  to  his  amazing  words. 

"  My  lady,  long  before  I  entered  the  service 
of  my  Lord  of  Catzu  I  was  a  ronin,  an  in- 
dejjendent  samurai  who  owed  allegiance  to 
no  lord  or  prince.  I  was  induced  to  enter 
your  service  not  for  I'-'e  of  your  lord  or  desire 
to  ingratiate  myself  \  h  the  Shogun  powers, 
for,  though  a  deserter  for  persor^  d  reasons,  I 
was  of  the  clan  of  Choshui,  and  an  Imperialist 
at  heart!" 

"Such  insolence,"  said  the  lady,  furiously, 
"shall  be  punished  with  thy  insignificant 
head." 

"Tsh!"  interpo.sed  her  brother,  angrily. 
"Permit  our  good  friend  to  speak.  I  have  a 
liking  and  understanding  for  his  words." 

"As  I  have  said,"  repeated  Genji,  "it  was 
neither  for  love  of  thy  lord  nor  his  cause  that 
I  entered  his  service,  but  because  I  desired  to 
be  near  to,  and  to  serve  with  my  life,  if  neces- 
sary, the  orphaned  daughter  of  my  old  friend 
and  comrade,  the  Lady  Wistaria." 


X 


147 


III      HUM  I     I II I         II  li 


«4= 


P ^ ^  y :=Tz 


i 


"  It  is  well,"  said  the  Lady  Evening  Glory, 
sharply,  "  that  you  did  not  acquaint  my  Lord 
Catzu  with  all  this.  If  my  memory  serves 
me  correctly,  you  came  to  Catzu  with  great 
l)rotestations  and  promises  of  allegiance  and 
loyalty  to  his  lordship." 

"And,"  said  Genji,  "during  the  time  that 
I  have  served  the  Lord  Catzu,  there  has  been 
no  samurai  whose  allegiance  has  been  more 
unswerving  than  mine." 

"And  yet,"  said  the  lady,  scornfully,  "at 
the  first  test  the  allegiance  you  boast  of  is 
found  wanting." 

"  I  resjjectfully  beg  to  call  your  attention, 
my  lady,  to  the  error  and  injustice  you  com- 
mit in  making  such  a  remark.  In  following 
my  inclination  at  this  present  time  I  exix^ct 
to  be  discharged  by  his  lordship,  or  I  shall 
submit  my  resignation  to  him.  Under  the 
circumrstances,  I  am  once  more  a  free  samu- 
rai, and,  being  out  of  service,  I  am  at  perfect 
liberty  to  serve  whom  I  please.  Nevertheless 
I  shall  take  delight  in  obeying  any  commands 
you  may  be  pleased  to  bestow  when  I  am  at  lib- 
erty to  do  so.     At  present  I  am  not  at  liberty." 

"May  I  inquire,"  she  asked,  with  her  cold 
eyes  disdainfully  fixed  above  his  head,  "why 
you  condescended  to  accompany  me?" 

"Certainly.  I  had  a  fancy  that  you  were 
about  to  set  off  for  the  place  where  the  Lady 
Wistaria  might  be  residing.  Consequently  I 
besought  you   to   i)ermit   me   to  attend    you. 


148 


* 


1^ 


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■*¥ 


cz^r 


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What  is  more,  I  had  reason  to  beheve  that 
the  Lady  Wistaria  would  be  in  need  of  nie. 
Hence,  here  I  am,  and  here  I  remain,  the 
gods  permitting." 

"  If  you  supixjse,  Sir  Genji,  that  by  pretend- 
ing zeal  in  behalf  of  my  honorable  niece  you 
can  excuse  your  conduct  towards  those  in 
whose  service  you  rightfully  belong,  you  will 
soon  discover  your  error,  I  assure  you." 

"There  I  disagree  with  you,"  interrui)ted 
Shimadzu,  suddenly.  "  It  is  my  ojnnion  that 
my  old  friend's  loyal  zeal  for  the  insignif- 
icant Lady  Wistaria  excuses  him  from  any 
f}  seeming  lapses  in  his  service  to  his  lord, 
and  in  this  I  believe  the  Lord  of  Catzu  will 
agree  with  me.  Therefore,  sister,  let  us  call 
a  truce  to  this  harsh  and  useless  exchange 
of  bitter  words.  Instead,  let  us  beg  that  Sir 
«)  Genji  will  condescend  to  accept  our  gratitude 
for  his  loyalty  to  one  who,  though  insignif- 
icant, is  yet  (  f  our  family." 

Again  the  two  samurai  bowed  deeply  to 
each  other.  The  Lady  of  Catzu  shrugged 
angry  shoulders. 

"What  is  to  be  done?"  she  inquired,  after 
a  moment. 

"  Despatch  the  samurai  Matsue  at  once  with 
the  paper,"  said  her  brother.  "Meanwhile" 
—he  turned  to  Genji — "deign  to  inirmit  me  to 
lead  you  to  my  Lady  Wistaria." 


149 


f 


„    TOE  .>VOO)fso  OJ'  ViSTAR)A     n 


HE  pain  was  quite  )j;onL'  from 
the  brain  and  head.  The  fever  "^ 
had  abated.  A  stranj.jc  .sen.se 
of  coohies.s  and  re.st  i»er\aded 
the  whole  being  of  Keiki.  The 
Shining  Prince  fell  to  dream- 
ing, thi.'^  time  without  a  hideous  ^ 
nightmare  being  wrought  ujxjn 
his  mind. 

Once  more  he  was  standing 
■4  in  a  roviil  garden,  where  the 
htlle  winds  blew  about  him  ^ 
laden  with  the  faint,  sid)tle 
odor  of  early  spring ;  where 
the  birds  clattered  and  cried 
out  indignantly  at  hiin  for 
disturbing  them  .so  early  :  where 

*  1  JT 

150 


^ 


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fc 


4hc  sun  arose  from  behind  ihe  mountains 
veiled  in  a  Kold*-'"  cloud  and  travelled  over 
the  heavens,  pausing  to  tint  the  waters  of  a 
^  slender  river  to  the  maeic  ixlow  of  blood  and 
cold.  The  Soft,  j,dad  winds  caressed  as 
lliev  called  to  him  now.  Moved  to  bend  the 
knee  in  t^reelimc  and  homage,  he  had  become 
a  sun  -  worshij)j)er.  He  stood  waiting  be- 
neath lowered  casement,  waiting  in  a  silence 
preun  A  with  inward  feeling.  Not  a  sound 
stirred  about  him ;  the  birds  had  dropj)cd 
to  .slee])  again:  but  the  glory  of  the  sun  had 
deepened  and  spread  its  full  radiance  upon 
the  ca.sement.  Then  very  slowly  a  maiden's 
face,  like  a  picture  of  the  sun-g'xidess  with 
the  halo  oi  the  sun  about  it,  grew  into  the 
vision,  until  gradually  the  dream -eyes  of 
the  Prince  Keiki  saw  naught  else  save  that 
haunting  spiritual  face,  with  its  eyes  laden 
with  love  and  still  suffused  with  unutterable 
sadness. 

As  suc'denly  as  it  had  come,  the  vision 
faded  away.  Darkness  passed  between  him 
and  the  face  of  his  dreams.  He  .sal  upon  his 
couch,  stretching  out  imploring,  beseeching 
hands  as  he  called  aloud,  witli  a  cry  of  pierc- 
ing pleading : 

ruji — r  uji-waral 

Then  he  became  dreamily  conscious  that 
soft  hands  were  gently  pushing  him  back- 
ward. He  knew  that  her  anus  were  pressed 
about  him,  that  she  had  put  her  face  against    k. 


X 


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jmMJOO)U0  Of  ViSTAPJA 


-3E 


IX 


i 


ei 


his  own.  He  tried  to  si)cak,  but  she  closed 
his  hps  Willi  her  own  u\nm  them,  and  an- 
swered, in  that  siuhiuk'  voice  of  hers: 
"  It  is  I,  Wistaria!  i'ray  thee  to  sleep!" 
Keiki  fell  into  a  delicious,  dreamless  slumber. 
Beside  him,  her  arms  supix>rtinK  against 
her  bo.som  the  weight  of  his  head.  Wistaria 
knelt,  unmoviuK,  for  the  space  of  an  hour. 
Her  eyes  had  that  strange,  brooding,  guard- 
ing  expression  of  the  mother. 

Some  one  tapped  with  the  lightness  of  a 
child  uiwn  the  fusuma.  Wistaria  tightened 
her  arms  about  her  lover.  Her  face  becmne 
strained  and  rigid.  Her  eyes  enlarged  with 
mingled  terror  and  savage  defiance. 

The  tapping  was  re[)eated.  Still  she  made 
no  resixmse.  There  was  an  interval  of  si- 
lence. Then  the  sliding  door  was  softly 
pushed  aside.  Some  one  entered  the  room, 
and  stood  against  the  wall  looking  down  at 
the  little,  silent  figure  with  its  face  of  a\^ 
I>ealing,  helpless  agony.  The  next  moment 
the  samurai  Genji  was  kneeling  beside  Wis- 
taria. 

For  a  moment  she  could  not  speak,  so  in- 
tense were  her  mingled  emotions.  She  had 
thought  her.self  bereft  of  all  friends  on  earth. 
In  her  father  and  aunt  she  could  see  noth- 
ing but  menacing  enemies  who  had  assumed 
the  dark  guise  of  fiends.  Yet  here  was  Gcnji 
—Genji,  her  own.  big  samurai— whose  very 
presence  brought  a  sense  of  safety  and  re- 


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a: 


ix)se.  A  strange  little  laugh,  half  a  strangled 
sob,  struggled  through  her  lijjs. 

In  one  glance  (ienji  saw  that  the  weight  of 
the  Prince  in  her  slender  arms  was  henuiiib- 
ing  them.  Without  a  word  h<;  lifted  the 
sleeping  Prince  in  his  own  arms  .nul  [lut 
him  gently  back  ujh)!!  the  padded  robe  which 
served  iis  his  couch.  Tlien  turning  to  his 
mistress  he  half  assisted  her,  half  lifted  her, 
to  her  feet.  For  a  moment  she  leaned  against 
him,  dizzy  with  weakness. 

in  a  broken,  j)iterus,  helpless  fashion  she 
began  to  cry  against  his  breast,  the  ixnl-ui) 
anguish  of  many  days  finding  its  outlet. 

(ienji  gently  led  her  across  the  r(K)m,  be- 
yond the  iK)ssible  awakening  of  the  Prince. 
His  big  voice,  hushed  to  a  whisiK-T  desjjite 
its  huskhiess,  was  as  soothing  as  a  mother's. 

"  Ar6  moshil  See,  the  big  Gen  is  here. 
All  is  well!     X'ery  well!" 

"Oh,  den!"  she  sobl)ed,  "1  do  not  know 
what  to  do!" 

"Do?  \Vh>-,  we  must  cease  to  weep,  so  we 
may  have  the  strength  to  minister  to  the 
sick." 

"Y-ycs — 1  will  cease  to  weep,"  she  whis- 
pered, brokenly.     "I — I  will  do  so." 

"That  is  right." 

"  And  3-ou  w  ill  not  let  them  harm  him, 
will  you,  Gen?" 

"No!     I  swear  by  my  sword  I  will  not!" 

"You  are  so  good  and  strong.  Gen!" 

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IM.iciiiti  his  hands  ujioii  her  sh(»iil(lcrs  he 
held  her  hack,  then  }^ciilly  \vij)cd  ihc  tears 
from  hur  face. 

"  I  fall!"  lie  cried.  "Xow  she  is  once  a^rain 
tlie  l)rave  uirl.  That  is  riijht.  She  is  the 
daughter  of  a  samurai,  and  cannot  weep 
for  lonLj. " 

.She  tried  to  smile  through  her  tears,  hut 
it  was  a  very  pitiful  little  smile  which  strug- 
gled through  the  mist. 

"Now,"  said  he,  ''tell  me  everything." 

"Do  you  not  know  all?"  she  asked. 
'  Xo,  I  do  not.  I  am  in  darkness  as  to 
how  your  lover  comes  to  he  here,  wounded 
and  ill ;  hut  I  surmi.se  that  he  was  captured 
while  on  his  way  to  Choshui  and  ])rcvented 
from  warning  his  prince." 

"  Vou  do  not  know,"  cried  Wistaria,  looking 
up  into  his  face  with  startled  eyes,  "  that  he 
is  the  prince  him.self?" 

"The  prince!  Who  is  the  prince?  What 
prince?" 

"The  young  Prince  of  Mori.  He"  —  she 
indicated   Keiki — "he  is  the  same  per.son." 

It  was  ficnji's  turn  to  start.  lie  tnade  a 
movement  towards  the  Prince,  but  Wistaria 
grasjied  his  arm  and  stayed  him. 

"Nay,  do  not  go  to  him.  lie  is  so  tired. 
Gen.  He  has  been  awake,  though  unctn- 
scious,  all  night  long,  and  he  needs  the  hon- 
orable rest  the  gods  have  denied  him  so 
long." 


3M" 

154 


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7m  -VoojjsG  Of?  \^iSTAR)A     n 


"But  you  d(»  not  mean  to  tell  tnc  that  your 
lover  is  the  younu  Mori  prince?" 

"\es,  even  so,  Cicn.  tliout:h  I  knew  it  nut 
until— until  they  brouuht  him  here." 

"IJrouf^rht  him  here!  Why— but  this  man 
— the  Prince  Mori  is  condemned  to  death!  lie 
was  found  ^ruihy  of  treason  —  he  —  oh,  it  is 
quite  imiM>ssible!" 

"Alas!  but  it  is  true." 

"  Vou  do  not  mean  that  your  father  brought 
him  here  under  i)enalty  of  death?" 

I  ler  head  was  bent  forward.  She  covered 
her  face  with  her  sleeve. 

"Shaka!"  exclaimed  Genji.  "We  must  do 
something;  at  once." 

"Ves,  oh  yes!  You,  Gen,  you  will  take 
him  away — will  you  not,  Gen?— and  protect 
him,  for  if  you  do  not  they  will  kill  him,  or 
force  u'.e  to  marry  with  him." 

"Force  you  to  marry  with  him!" 

"  Yes.  Do  you  not  understand?  I  am  only 
an  Eta  ^irl." 

"I  know  that." 

"And  my  father  believes  that  if  he  were 
to  marry  me  to  the  Prince  he  would  lepally 
become  an  outcast,  and  it  would  break  his 
father's  heart. " 

"That  is  very  true." 

"  Then  you  see.  Gen,  how  imperative  it  is 
that  he  should  be  taken  away  at  once." 

"Why,  no,  T  do  not  so  rcpard  it." 

"You  do  not?     Then  what  am  I  to  do?" 


X 


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"Marry  him  at  once." 

"Hut,  indeed,  I  cannot  do  so." 

"Why  not?" 

"Oh,  r.cn,  it  would  be  too  humiliating  for 
him  todeba.se  himself.  I  could  not  be  so  false 
as  to  deceive  him  and  drag  him  down  from 
his  high  e.state.     I  could  not  do  it." 

"Pujfh!  Vou  overrate  the  ignominy  of 
the  Eta.  In  the  old  days  when  your  father 
married  amonir  them  the  prejudice  wa.«  it 
its  l)itterest.  He  is  not  aware  of  the  cha.iges 
which  are  rapidly  taking  place  in  the  thought 
of  the  iK'ople  of  Jai)an  to-day,  ni)r  does  he 
know  that  thi.s  very  prince  represents  to  the 
l)eoi)le  that  new  era  which  is  cibout  to  dawn 
wherein  all  men  will  have  equal  rights  and 
jirivileges.  Your  honorable  father  has  lived 
only  in  his  own  sorrows,  knowing  little  of 
what  is  taking  place  in  his  country.  Take 
advantage  of  his  ignorance,  I  advise  you." 

"  But    he    would    never    forgive    me,"    she 

said. 

"Who?  Your  prince?  Never  forgive  you 
for  marrying  him!  Why,  I  thought  he  had 
wooed  you  for  that  puqwse!" 

"Yes,"  .she  sighed,  "but  he  did  not  know 
the  truth  then.  Perhaps  if  he  had  known 
of  my  lowly  station — " 

"  It  would  have  made  no  difTerence.  I 
tell  you  1  am  well  acquainted  with  this  family 
of  Mori.  They  are  a  proud  but  not  ignoble 
race,  and  this  new  scion  has  shown  a  braver 

J I  ^  I  J 


156 


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and  better  blcKxl  than  all  of  his  august  an- 
cestors." 

"I  cannot  do  it,"  she  said,  shaking  her 
head  despirinnly.  "So  do  you,  pr.ty,  Sir 
(ien,  assist  me  to  jmt  liini  in  hiding  some- 
where." 

"TshI  That  is  imjiossible.  Wh  sec,  he 
is  a  big  fellow.  We  could  not  carry  him  far, 
and  the  place  here  is  surrounded  by  spies. 
He  would  meet  a  worse  fat'-  than  if—" 

She  became  futler  and  sliivered  visibly. 

"I  do  not  like  to  hear  you  sj^ak  so,"  .she 
said. 

"I  do  not  like  to  see  you  act  so,  niy  lady," 
said  Gen.  "What!  Vou  would  desert  your 
lover  when  he  most  needs  you!" 

"Oh,  Gen,  no!     I  did  not  .say  that." 

"When  there  is  a  way  by  which  you  can 
save  his  life,  you  refuse  to  do  so?  \'ery  well, 
then;  better  deliver  him  uf)  at  once  to  his 
executioners." 

"Oh-h!" 

She  interrupted  him  with  a  sharp  cry  of 
fright.  The  sound  of  her  voice  reaching  the 
Prince  as  he  slept,  he  turned  uneasily  on  his 
couch,  sighing  heavily.  Genji  and  Wistaria 
listened  to  him  in  breathless  silence.  Then, 
with  her  face  turntxl  towards  the  Prince,  Wis- 
taria moved  close  to  his  couch,  whispering 
tremulously : 

"Yes,  yes,  I  must  do  it.  It  is  the  only  way 
— the  only  way!" 


3: 


157 


T^ 


t 


THE.WOOir^G  Of  ViSTAPJA 


IX 


"That  is  ri^'ht,"  saiJ  (Iciiji,  patlinK  her 
hand  rL-assurin^ly. 

She  walked  unsteadily  hack  to  her  lover. 
Once  more  she  sank  down  on  her  knees  hcside 
hitii.  Her  face  wore  an  expression  the  hiu 
samurai  could  not  hear  to  look  ujK)n.  lie 
moved  very  silently  and  stood  against  the 
door  of  the  chamher,  straight  and  iinniovahle 
as  a  statue,  and  strong  and  invincible  as  a 
war  god  on  guard. 


^ 


YT- 


15^ 


TO£.>VOO)i>iG  Or?  WJSTAPJA 


RIXCE  KICIKI  was  pacing  rcst- 
cs.sly  imd  impatiently  up  and 
down  the  chamber  wherein  he 
had  lain  ill.  It  was  the  month 
of  June.  From  the  .>-mall  open- 
inj.(  of  the  dcx)rs  Keiki  could 
see  that  the  uneven  hillocks 
which  apivarctl  on  all  sides 
were  blazinu  with  the  gorj,^cous 
flowers  colored  by  the  yellow 
sun  above  them. 

At  the  door  of  the  Lhaniber, 
his  arms  folded  across  his  breast, 
his  eyes  quietly  following  the 
glance  of  the  i)lainly  irritated 
Prince,  the  samurai  Genji  st(K)d, 
still  in  the  attitude  of  a  guard. 


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S 


"Why,"  inquired  the  Prince,  frowning 
savagely,  "  may  not  the  shoji  be  pushed  com- 
l)letcly  to  one  side?  I  suppose  this  honorable 
house  is  fashioned  like  any  other  Japanese 
ab(xle.  Since  1  am  not  j)ermitted  to  venture 
out  of  this  honorable  interior,  at  least  I  might 
be  allowed  to  look  ui)on  more  of  the  outside 
world  than  is  to  be  seen  through  such  a 
narrow  space." 

He  indicated  the  screens,  only  partially 
opened,  which  half  discovered,  h-^.lf  con- 
cealed, a  sloping  balcony. 

Very  dccj)  and  resiKxtfid  was  (Icnji's  bow. 

"  It  is  my  distasteful  duty  to  be  forced 
to  di.saL^ree  with  your  excellency,"  he  said. 
"Vour  highness's  august  health  is  such  that 
your  chamber  nuist  be  sheltered  even  from 
the  summer  breezes." 

The  Prince  stopj^'d  sharply  in  his  walk. 

"  Spare  \-ourself  such  imaginative  effort. 
Sir  (ienji,"  he  said.  "That,  you  are  well 
aware,  is  not  the  true  reason  why  I  am  de- 
prived of  sufiicient  air,  and  am  forced  to 
reinain  in  a  room  with  my  shutters  closed 
so  that  not  even  the  breath  of  summer  may 
enter. 

At  (lenjrs  second  obeisance,  the  Prince, 
with  an  inii)atitMt  motion,  commanded  him 
to  LL'a.se,  and  to  give  his  undivided  attention 
to  his  rcitiarks. 

"  Xow  will  \ou  do  me  the  kindness  to  in- 
form me  what  all    these  mysterious  precau- 


^ 


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W 


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* 


^ 


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i- 


tionsmean?    Wait  a  nion.    ,.      Do  not  sj^eak, 

^    for  I   iH.Tccive  you  are  aboi.l  to  uUer  some 

I    further  i)revarication.    Think  before  you  speak, 

and  try  to  see  that  it  is  usek-ss  to  attempt  to 

deceive  me." 

"Well,  my  lord."  said  Genji.  "knowing  as 
you  do  the  iK-ril  in  which  your  hfe  will  be 
placed  if—" 

,y  ''Oh  yes,  I  perceive  all  you  would  say. 
1  have  recently  been  rescued  from  a  blood- 
thirsty executioner;  I  must  remain  in  hiding 
for  some  time,  and  so  on;  but  what  I  wish  to 
understand  is  why  is  it  necessary  for  me  to 
continue  imprisoned?" 

"  Well,  my  lord,  you  would  not  wish  a  Sho- 
gun  spy  to  catch  a  glimjise  of  you  by  chance?" 

"I  fear  no  spy,"  said  the  Prince',  with  con- 
tempt.    "If  I  were  permitted  my  own  way  '" 
he  added,  savaj,a>ly,  "  I  would  not  linger  here 
but  would  start  out  alone,  and  cut  my  way 
through  such  worms  and  vi|X'rs." 

"If  you  wish  to  do  so,"  said  Genji,  with 
some  asiKTity.  "I  shall  take  no  measures  to 
prevent  you ;  but  I  had  thought  your  high- 
ness desired  to  remain  here  at  all  events  until 
after  your  wedding." 

The    young    Prince    sighed,   and,   seating    !^ 
himself  on  a  sniall  lacquer  stool  by  the  parted 
doors,  he  rested  hi-^.  chin  urx)n  his  hands  and 
stared  out  glcKniiily  at  the  landscape. 

After  a  moment,  in  a  gentler  voice  he  re- 
joined : 


'ft 


i6i 


i 


O: 


* 


"  Is  it  not  yet  time  for  her  to  come?"  without 
turniiii^  his  head. 

"  Xo,  my  lord." 

The  Prince  siL,'hfd  attain. 

"I  once  j)ridcd  myself  upon  my  habit  of 
early  risini^f,"  he  said.  "Now  it  has  become 
a  nui.sance." 

Silence  attain,  and  then: 

"Sir  (lenji,  what  has  become  of  the  Lady 
Evenincj  (ilorv?  She  has  not  returned  to 
Catzu?" 

"  Xo.  She  still  condescends  to  accept  my 
hum])le  hospitality. " 

"  I  have  not  seen  her  lately — a  fortunate 
circumstance,  by -the -way.  The  lady  op- 
presses me." 

"She  has  been  much  entjapcd  with  the 
marriajrc  Karments  of  the  Lady  Wistaria." 

The  Prince's  face  softened  at  the  mere  men- 
tion of  Wistaria's  name,  and  the  look  of  im- 
patience pas.sed  from  his  face.  For  a  time 
he  seemed  ])lunt,fed  in  a  pleasing  reverie. 
Ajijain  he  questioned  the  samurai. 

"Do  you  not  think  it  a  stranj^e  fancy  for 
my  lady  to  wish  to  be  marricxl  here  at  your 
hou.se  instead  of  at  Catzu?" 

"  Xot  at  all.  Your  health  is  such  that  an 
ordinary  wddincr  would  be  harmful;  besides, 
think  of  the  dantjer!" 

"  Well,  it  is  my  opinion  that  the  .state  of  my 
health  is  exaijjLrerated.  All  I  need  to  drive 
away   my   paleness   quickly  is  the  o[x?n   air 

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and  the  pclden  .simlif^^ht.     As  for  the  dantrcr 
wns  not  tlunk.n^r  .,f  ,   ,,,,,,,„^^,   j^  ^^^^    ' 

but  one  .n  n.y  own  province.  I  .should  be 
pcrfec  ly  safe  there  ^^vh  my  o,vn  sa.r.urai 
to  protect  nie,  and  a  half-dozen  other  souchern 
Clans  ready  to  come  to  my  assistance." 

"I    cannot    conceive    of'  vour    excellency's 
|;"i;at.ence  and   dissatisfaction."  said   (.enji' 
when  I  recall  that  you  are  about  to  be  ;vc.dded 
soon    and  to  one  for  whon,  any  prince  would 
be  only  too  ^lad  to  sacnlice  evervthin^r  " 

\ou  are  r.^ht,  S.r  Ccnji.  Yet  is  it  not 
stran^^e  that,  despite  all  this,  I  fed  melan- 
choly. I  cannot  understand  n."  lie  pau.sed 
and  turned  on  his  seat  to  loolc  back  at  the  sa- 
murai. •  Sometimes  it  ap,>c-ars  to  uie  that  I 
have  caught  this  sadness  of  sp.nt  from  my 
lady  herself.  "^ 

"What,  the  Lady  Wistaria^     Impo.ssible  " 
t  .s  true."  said  the  I'rince,  thouuhtfullv 
^^  V\  hv,  .she  sinj,r.s  half  the  dav  like  a  bird-" 
Uhose   heart   is   broken,"   .,u.cklv   ended 
the  rrince. 

"She  plays  like  a  child—" 
''Who  is  commanded  to  rejoice." 
"Her  soul  is  as  trav— " 

"As   a    priestess    whom    the   black   temple 
shuts  from  life. 

"Putrh!     She  laughs—" 

"  VVith  tears  in  her  thn  at  " ;  a-ain  the  Prince 
finished  the  sentence.  "  Ves,  it  is  so,  I  tell 
you.     1  am  not  deceived." 


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"  Vour  affection,  my  lord,  atuscs  j-ou  to 
iiiuii^iiic  things  that  do  not  exist." 

"  Xo,  my  affcciKiii  l)iii  increases  the  acute- 
ncss  of  my  i)erceplioiis. " 

"  If  you  will  jteriiiit  an  un\v(>rthy  vassal  to 
venture  an  ojnnioii,  I  would  say,  my  lord,  that 
for  one  alx)ut  \>>  wed  \n  a  da>-,  your  excel- 
lency we.ars  a  most  funereal  countenance." 

The  Prince  arose  abruptly,  as  ihouijh  he 
would  shake  of!  some  oppression  that  beset 
him. 

"  Let  me  tell  you,  my  pood  fellow,"  he  said, 
approaching  (icnji  more  closely,  "when  one 
we  love  api)ears  to  us  to  be  cloakinir  bi'hind 
a  mask  of  painful  Lrayety  some  secret  .sad- 
ness, the  world  is  apt  to  wear  a  haupard  as- 
]>ect  which  one's  own  .self  must  reflect.  If  you 
rei)eat  that  my  imagination  but  conjures  up 
such  fancies,  then  1  will  say  that  I  must  be 
insane." 

Silently,  for  the  space  of  a  few  moments, 
the  two  men  remained  looking  into  each 
other's  faces.  They  started  simultaneously 
at  the  soft  pattinp  of  a]iproachinp  footstejis. 

"One  request,  Sir  (ienji,"' whisjK^red  Keiki, 
as  the  fnoisteps  drew  nearer.  "Will  you  for 
once  relax  your  guard  and  j)ermit  me  to  be 
alone  willi —  ' 

"Hut— " 

"  Vou  can  uuaid  my  person  just  as  well 
outside,  and  should  any  <'ne  attem]>t  to  attack 
lite  vou  will  cerlaiulv  be  made  aware  of  the 


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fiict  by  whatever  noise  a  i)air  of  'ings  can 
force. " 

'  Her  aunt  would  consider  it  unseemly," 
said  the  samurai,  with  some  hesitation. 

"  I  do  not  make  it  a  request,"  said  the  Prince, 
I)atienlly,  "  l)ut  merely  bc^    the  favor." 

A  liuht  tap  on  the  door,  and  the  ne  t  mo?  _nt 
Wistaria  had  entered  the  room,  iier  arms 
were  full  of  flowers,  flaming  red  and  yellow 
blos.soms  that  j^^rew  wild  on  ihe  hills,  while 
about  her  garments  clun:  the  odors  of  the 
lields  and  the  mountain.  She  was  dain|)  md 
sweet  With  the  morn  ng  dew  shininp:  on  her 
hair,  clinuinLj  even  ti.  her  face  and  arms. 

"What!"  cried  Gen.  "\ou  liave  l)ecn  out 
already?" 

She  ntxlded,  smiling  wistfully'  over  the 
flowers,  which  the  P.ince  silently  tCKjk  from 
her  artuj-  and  set  upon  the  floor.  His  eyes 
never  relaxed  their  gaze  from  her  sweet  face. 

"My  lord's  chamber,"  she  said,  as  she 
shook  the  dew  and  a  few  clini^Mng  leaves 
from  her  kimono,  "  is  so  barren  of  the  beauty 
of  summer  that  T  thought  the  fields  might 
si)are  something  of  their  wealth." 

Keiki  turned  an  iiniilonng  glance  to  Genji. 
The  samurai  turned  hastily  to  the  dc»r. 

"Well,  then,"  said  Genji,  "I  shall  go  and 
bring  you  seme  honorable  water  for  the  flow- 
ers. 

The  moment  Genji  had  left  the  room  the 
Prince  seized  Wistaria's  hands  impulsively. 


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"  Wistaria,"  he  cried,  "now  I  have  some 
questions  to  [uit  to  you." 

One  startled,  uimard  plancc  at  him  she 
^ave.  He  took  her  face  in  his  hands,  com- 
I)ellinK  her  eyes  to  meet  his  own. 

"Why  are  your  eyes  so  dark?"  he  asked. 

She  attempted  to  smile. 

"The  t,'(Kls — "  .she  bei^an. 

"No,"  he  interrui)ted,  knowintj  in  advance 
what  .she  was  about  to  .say,  "but  here,  and 
here."  lie  passed  his  finders  gently  over  the 
dark  shadows  that  framed  the  pitifid  eyes. 

"Have  they  not  always  been  .so?"  .she 
asked,  with  a  pathetic  attempt  at  lightness 
which  did  not  deceive  him. 

"Xo,"  he  replied,  almost  vehemently. 
"Wlien  first  the  g(xls  bles.sed  me  with  the 
joy  of  beholding  you,  they  were  not  so." 

"Well,"  she  murmured,  tremuhmsly,  "I 
am  becoming  honorably  older.     That  is  all." 

"No,  that  is  not  the  reason,"  he  cried,  pa.s- 
sionately.  "  A  few  months  could  not  have 
wrought  the  difference,  nor  the  other  changes 
I  jKTceive  in  your  face.  The  rose  is  gone. 
^'ou  arc  pale  and  too  frail.  Your  lips — ah, 
I  cannot  bear  it!" 

With  an  exclamation  of  pain  he  broke  off. 

An  expression  of  fright  apjx-ared  in  her 
face.      Her  hands  clutched  about  his. 

"My  lord,"  .she  cried,  "you — you  do  not 
think  that  I— that  I  have  cea.sed  ?o  be  beau- 
tiful" 


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"  i\<),  tio.  Vou  arc  more  htautiful  than 
ever.  Vou  could  not  Ijc  otherwise  tlian  beau- 
tiful, my  beloved,  but  you  apjKVjr  to  nie  so 
frail  that  I  am  bet,MnninK  to  believe  you  are 
s(jme  spirit.  Tell  me,  do  tell  nie,  what  has 
wroui^ht  this  chanj^e  in  you?" 

For  a  moment  she  remained  silent.  Then 
she  laughed.  Her  hands,  w  ith  a  little,  childish 
motion  of  delitilU,  she  clapi)ed. 

"Wait!"  she  cried,  breakinij  from  his  arm. 
"I  will  show  you  the  cause." 

She  ran  across  the  nxMU  and  brought  a 
little  mirror,  which  she  |>< dished  with  her 
Sleeve  as  she  returiied  to  him.  Then  leaning 
against  h'ui,  she  held  it  before  his  face,  while 
she  put  her  own  cheek  against  h's. 

"  LcK)k  within,  Keiki-sama.  Said  the  gods: 
'Such  a  pak  and  wan  Keiki  will  noetl  a  com- 
panion, so  we  will  make  the  Lady  Wistaria's 
face  to  match  his!'     So  they  did  so." 

With  a  gesture  of  desiKur,  he  pushed  the 
glass  away. 

"No,"  he  said,  hoarsely,  "for  mine  i:-  pale 
and  thin  from  nnich  illness,  while  yours — " 

"From  love,"  she  said,  in  a  breath. 


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rSTARIA,"  said  the  Prince 
KciUi,  with  a  very  firm  clasp 
of  her  hand,  "just  now  I  in- 
sisted that  the  samurai  Genji 
should  cease  his  futile  deception 
hy  useless  i)revarication.  And 
now  I  ask  you,  I  heg  you,  not 
to  hide  under  a  cloak  of  levity 
any  secret  trouble  which  you  may 
have,  and  which  I,  as  your  future 
hus])and,  am  entitled  to  know." 

The  mirror  slipix,'d  from  the 
uirl's  hand.  She  stared  at  it 
h(>i)elessly. 

"  Now  answer  me,"  continued 
her  lover,  insistently.  "  Is  it  not 
true  that  vou  are  in  trouble?" 


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"  Vcs,"  she  said,  in  a  low  voice  ;  "  yes,  but — " 
Her  voice  broke,  and  she  turned  her  face  from 
his  K't7.e.  "  But,  alas,  I  cannot  tell  it  to  you, 
my  lord." 

"Xviy,  do  so,"  he  entreated,  with  such 
plcadmf^  in  his  voice  lliat  she  came  back 
to  his  arms  and  nestled  against  his  breast 
with  a  little  wounded  cry. 

"I  am  waitnij;,"  he  said,  softly. 

"I  cannot  tell  you,"  she  murmured  against 
his  breast. 

"  Why  not?"  he  inquired,  quietly. 

In  her  nervous  restlessness  she  broke 
away  from  his  arms  aj.fain.  Her  hands 
noiselessly  cla])|Kxl  each  other  reix.'atedly. 
She  could  not  remain  still. 

"Why  not?"  repeated  the  Prince. 

"There  are  many  reasons,"  she  said,  in  a 
low  voice,  still  maintaining  the  distance  be- 
tween them. 

"  Nay,  think  a  little  while,  and  see  whether 
your  heart  will  not  suggest  to  you  that  the 
mere  telling  of  your  troubles  to  me  may  be 
their  .solution.  Remember  I  shall  be  your 
honorable  husband  very  soon  " — he  smiled  a 
trilie  sadly— "and  then  I  shall  command 
you  to  tell  me  the  truth,  you  know." 

Wistaria  .sat  very  still  now.  Ever  since 
Cicnji  had  come  uiwn  her  that  first  day  with 
the  wounded  Prince  in  her  arms  Wistaria 
had  been  a  prey  to  the  utmost  desjKiir  and 
anguish.     The    infinite    faith    and    trust    of 

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her  lover  filKd  her  continually  with  a  greater 
liorror  of  lur  deceit,  for  she  could  not  forget, 
not  for  one  moment,  the  part  she  had  been 
forced  to  jtlay  in  the  undoini^  of  the  Prince. 
How  could  siie  add  to  her  other  inicjuitics  by 
inveifj^liiiR  this  noble  and  j^enerous-heartcd 
Prince  into  a  marriage  which  would  not  fail 
to  debase  iiim?  And  yet  she  had  no  alterna- 
tive, for  otherwise  his  life  would  be  the  forfeit. 
Was  it  ])ossil)le  for  her  to  tell  him  all  this? 
Would  it  be,  as  he  had  said,  a  solution  of 
her  misery  to  confess  her  own  deceit  and 
warn  him  of  the  daniier  in  which  he  stood, 
that  of  marryintf  into  an  outcast  family? 

A.s  .she  thouuht  thus  .sadly,  the  gentle  voice 
of  her  lover  brought  the  tears  to  her  eyes. 
IJut  she  held  them  back,  almost  feverishly 
placing  a  greater  distance  between  her.self 
and  the  Prince.  In  that  moment  when  his 
tender  eyes  held  hers  in  their  yaze,  while  he 
trustfully  waited  for  her  to  si)eak,  she  was 
ready  to  tell  him  everythinj.^. 

"  Vou  are  about  to  tell  me  all,"  he  said,  as 
thouiih  he  understcMnl  her  inisix)ken  volition. 
"Do  not  mistrust  me.  Believe  in  my  adora- 
tion for  you.     Give  me  thy  heart  completely." 

A  sudden  shiverinp  took  possession  of 
Wistaria.  Instead  of  s[K'akinj:,  she  drew 
her  .sleeve  across  her  face,  a  characteristic 
habit  with  her  when  in  desixiir.  Clradually 
her  head  sank  ft)rward,  until  she  knelt  at 
his  feet  in  an  attitude  of  humilitv. 


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"Nay,  do  not  knctl."  he  cried,  "nor  hide 
thy  face  from  nie.  Do  not  so,  I  beseech 
thee." 

IlavinK  pertnittctl  his  assistance  in  rising, 
she  freed  herself  from  lus  encircling  arm. 

"L(H)k  at  me,  my  lord,"  she  cried.  "Tell 
me,  what  do  you  see?" 

"  A  maiden  as  beautiful  as  the  sun-K(xldess 
and  as  ^(hkI — " 

"  Nay,  then,  do  not  speak  so.  Look  at  me 
again,  my  lord.  Have  you  then  found  such 
pleasure  in  my  beauty  that  you  have  not 
even  remarked  my  garments?" 

"  Your  garments?" 

Bewilderment  was  in  his  face. 

"Yes.  Are  these  the  silks,  my  lord,  worn 
by  the  hidies  of  your  rank?" 

"Nay,  but  though  I  cannot  conceive  why 
you  should  be  garbed  in  cotton,  yet  I  see  no 
disgrace  in  the  fact.  Perchance  the  samurai 
Genji  is  honorably  poor,  and  you  are  so  cour- 
teous as  to  dress  in  homely  garments  while 
a  guest  of  his  honorable  household." 

"I  am  not  a  guest  of  his  household,  my 
lord." 

"  But—" 

"I  know  it  har  been  told  you  so.  Never- 
theless, this  is  the  hou.se  of  my  father." 

"I  do  not  understand,"  he  exclaimed. 

He  added  immediately,  "If  it  is  that  your 
honorable  father  is  poor — " 

"You   arc   wrong,  my  lord.     My  father  is 


3.— 
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in  the  service  of  the  government.     His  reniu- 
ncriition  is  ample." 

"Then  do  expkiin  to  me  the  reason  why 
you  are  so  ^'arbed  and  situated." 

"Becau.se  it  is  so  enacted  by  the  law," 
she  said. 

"The  law!" 

"I  am  an  Eta  woman." 

"An  Eta!     Imixissible!" 

"  That  was  the  otTence  for  which  my  father 
was  banished  —  Ijecause  of  his  marriage  to 
an  Eta  maiden." 

The  Priuc  stared  at  her  aghast.  She 
stood  as  still  as  if  made  of  st(Mie.  Her  lover's 
silence  was  due  to  his  rei)Ugnance  at  this 
revelation,  she  thought.  Seeing  his  effort 
to  siM?ak,  she  prayed  a  little  prayer  to  the 
gods  that  he  would  spare  her.  The  Prince 
found  his  voice. 

"Then  by  the  royal  blood  of  my  ancestors, 
I  swear,"  he  cried,  "  that  I  .shall  be  guilty  of 
the  same  ofTencc  as  thy  honora!)le  parent,  and 
for  thy  sweet  sake  I,  too,  shall  become  an  l>ta. " 

With  a  little,  trembUng  cry  she  started 
towards  him. 

"But  thy  cause!  Oh,  my  lord,  thy  noljle 
cau.se ! ' ' 

"The  cause!"  He  threw  back  his  head 
and  laughed  with  buoyant  joyousness. 

"Fuji-wara,"  he  said,  "do  you  not  ])cn:eive 
that  a  new  life  is  about  to  dawn  for  this  Japan 
of  ours?" 


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"A  new  life,"  she  repeated,  breathlessly, 
haiiu:iiiLj  uiX)n  the  words  that  escaped  his 
lips. 

"A  new  life,  '  he  said,  "with  our  country 
no  longer  broken  up  into  factions,  when  men 
shall  have  equal  rii^hts  and  privileges." 

He  smiled  at  her  ra])t  face,  and  possessed 
himself  of  both  her  little  hands. 

"  Dearest  and  sweetest  of  maidens,"  he  said, 
tenderly,  "  ni  marrying  me  you  do  not  wed 
a  prince.  I  am  pledged  to  the  welfare  of  the 
peoj)le.  Know  you  not  that  the  great  cause 
of  the  Imperialist  will  bring  alx)ut  that  Res- 
toration which  will  overturn  all  these  crush- 
ing tyrannies  and  injustices  which  press  our 
people  to  the  earth?  Repeat  with  me,  then: 
'  Daigi  Meiljunor!    Fianzai  the  Imperialist!'  " 

Suddenly  she  remembered  the  blow  she  had 
dealt  the  cause.  Her  head  fell  upon  their 
clasped  hands. 

But  over  her  fallen  head  the  voice  of  the 
Prince  Keiki  was  full  of  joy. 

"  And  now  I  have  heard  the  great  trouble, 
and  have  I  not  burst  it  liice  a  bubble?  Hence- 
forward, then,  let  there  Ijc  only  happiness  and 
joy  in  these  eyes  and  these  lips."  Reverently 
he  pressed  her  eyes  and  lips. 

(Jenji  was  heard  outside  the  door.  His  face 
was  very  grave  and  his  whole  aj^pearance  per- 
turlx'd  when  he  entered. 

Bowing  deeply  to  the  Prince,  he  addressed 
him  hastily  : 


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3E: 


"Your  excclk-ncv,  the  Lord  of  Catzii  has 
arrived  at  my  insi^niificanl  house  and  is  Ixlow. 
It  is  his  wish  that  the  marriage  of  his  niece 
should  be  celeljrated  without  further  delay. 
I  come  to  you,  therefore,  to  bey;  that  you  will 
consent  to  its  immediate  consummation." 

"  I  ctMiiply  with  gladness,"  replied  the  Prince, 
"  but  may  I  incpiire  the  reason  for  this  haste?" 

"  The  Lord  Catzu  Toro  is  in  critical  i)eril  in 
your  august  father's  ])rovince." 

"I'^nough'"  interrupted  the  Prince,  impul- 
sively. "  \()u  desire  my  immediate  mediation 
in  his  behalf?" 

He  turned  to  Wistaria  with  an  exclamation 
of  delight.  "  Xow,"  said  he,  "  we  shall  see  all 
our  troubles  melt  into  thin  air  like  mist  Ix-'fore 
the  sun." 

"  But  I  have  not  told  you  all— there  is  more 
still  to  tell.     1  pray  you—"  Wistaria  began. 

"There  is  no  lime,"  interrupted  (ienji, 
severely,  "  and  I  Ix'g  your  highness  will  con- 
vince the  Lady  Wistaria  of  the  necessity  for 
haste." 

"  That  is  right,"  said  the  Prince.  "  There  is 
a  whole  lifetime  before  us  yet  in  which  thou 
canst  tell  me  thy  heart.  Come.  Let  us  de- 
scend to  the  wedding-chamber." 


^71 


0  Prince  of  Japan  had  ever 
been  wedded  in  so  strange  and 
lowly  a  fashion.  There  was  not 
a  sign  or  soinid  of  the  gratu- 
lation,  rejoicing,  or  pomp  which 
usually  attend  such  ceremonies. 

d  When  the  Prince  Kciki  and 
the  Lady  Wistaria,  attended  by 
the  samurai  (lenji,  entered  the 
homely  wedding  aj)artment,  they 

-^  found  a  small  group,  pale  and 
solemn,  awaiting  them.  It  con- 
sisted of  the  Lord  and  Lady 
Catzu  and  one  who  \\as  a 
stranger  to  Keiki,  but  whom 
he  knew  to  be  the  father  of  the 
Lady  Wistaria. 


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The  waiting  pnrty  l><>\vc(l  very  low  and 
solemnly  to  those  who  had  just  entered.  Their 
greeting  was  returned  with  an  equal  rnivity 
and  grace.  There  was  a  i)au.se  — a  hush. 
Keiki  looked  al>)ut  him  uiquiringly,  and  then 
he  shivered.  The  true  solemnUy  of  the  oc- 
casion dawned  uj^on  hun  s«j  that  even  the  near 
joy  of  iKDSsessing  Wistaria  at  last  passed  from 
his  mind.  He  was  alxnit  to  join  through  mar- 
riage two  families  who  hitherto  had  had  for 
each  other  nothing  save  hatred  and  detesta- 
tion. 

Timid  and  pale  as  his  glance  was,  he  .scarce- 
ly dared  to  look  at  the  Lady  Wistaria,  though 
he  knew  she  was  so  weak  and  faint  that  the 
samurai  Genji  had  to  support  her. 

Somewhat  sharply,  the   voice  of  the  Lady 
Evening  Glory  hroke  the  silence. 
"Why  do  we  wait?" 

The  Lord  Catzu  stirred  uneasily,  glancing 
from  the  bridal  couple  to  his  wife,  and  then  to 
the  inscrutable  face  of  Shimadzu. 

"  If  1  may  be  permitted  to  remark,"  he  said, 
apologetically,  "  the  Lady  Wistaria  is  certainly 
garbed  unlx^fitting  her  rank  and  race." 

"Chut!"  said  his  wife,  angrily,  "you  would 
delay  matters  for  such  a  trifle?  Every  mo- 
ment counts  now  against  our  son.  Will  you 
let  such  an  insignificant  matter  as  the  dress 
of  your  unworthy  niece  hasten  the  i)ossible 
death  of  our  Ix'lovetl?  ' 

"  When  It  is  her  wedding-dress,  \'cs/'  said 


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Catzu,  stublx)rnly.  "  May  I  be  stricken  blind 
bcfurc  I  witness  such  a  disgrace  brought  ujx>n 
my  honorable  niece's  dignit}'.  She  must  be 
married  as  Ix-'fUs  her  rank,  I  repeat." 

A  sour  snule  i)layed  over  the  features  of  the 
Lady  Evenmg  Glory. 

"  That  is  true.  Well,  her  rank  is  that  of 
the  Eta,"  she  said,  tartly. 

Having  found  the  courage  to  disagree  with 
his  lady,  Catzu  now  set  her  at  complete  de- 
fiance.    He  marched  towards  the  door. 

"  \'ery  well,  then.  I  refuse  to  witness  such 
an  outrageous  ceremony.  The  lady  may 
have  Eta  kin^'red,  but  do  not  forget  that 
she  has  also  the  blood  of  royalty  in  her 
veins." 

His  consort  could  hardly  suppress  her  fury. 

"  I  apixjal  to  you,  honored  brother,"  she 
said.    "How  shall  it  be?" 

"And  I,"  exploded  Catzu,  who  was  in  an 
evil  and  contrary  temper,  "apjx^al  to  you,  my 
Lord  of  Mori,"  and  he  bowed  profoundly  to 
the  Prince. 

Shimadzu  made  no  response.  His  glance 
met  that  of  the  troubled  Prince.  Keiki  flushed 
under  his  penetrating  eyes.  Then  he  spoke 
with  graceful  dignity,  bowing  meanwhile  to 
the  trembling  Wistaria. 

"Let  her  be  garbed,"  he  said,  "as  befits 
the  daughter  of  her  father  and  the  bride  of  a 
Prince  of  Mori." 

There    was    silence    for    a    space.      Then 


177 


^ 


^ 


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Shimadzu  made  an  imi)crative  pcsture  to 
Gcnji,  who  Kcntly  lal  tlic  K'rl  fr<>»"  ^h^-'  t:ham- 
bcr,  followed  by  the  aiigrdy  resigned  Lady 
Eveiiinir  (ilory. 

The  three  men,  now  alone,  waited  in  strained 
silence  for  Wistaria's  return.  Straight  and 
stifT,  with  heads  somewhat  Ix'iit  to  the  floor, 
they  remained  standinu;  in  almost  identical 
attitudes.  (Iradnally,  however,  Catzu  brol^e 
the  ten.sion  by  an  altemi)t  to  relieve  his  exn  s- 
sive  nervou.sness.  Re.stint^  first  on  one  foot 
and  then  on  the  other,  he  shifted  alxmt.  His 
eyes  linj^ered  in  jiainfid  sympathy  upon  the 
Prmce,  and  then  irresolutely  turned  to  the 
samurai.  Perspiration  .stood  out  on  the  lord's 
brow.     He  was  suffering  physically  fn)m  the 

strain. 

After  a  Icmg  interval  of  this  intolerable 
silence,  the  doors  of  the  chamlxT  were  again 
pu.shed  aside.  The  samurai  r.cnji  entered. 
Bowing  deei»ly.  he  announced: 

"  The  Lady  Wistaria  and  her  august  aunt 
enter  the  honorable  chaml)er!" 

The  two  ladies,  close  behind  r.enji,  now^ 
followed  him  into  the  room.  Immediately 
all  prostrated  themselves.  When  they  had 
regained  their  feet,  it  ^Aas  found  that  Wistaria 
was  .still  kneeling.  Then  (ienji  perceived  that 
she  had  not  risen  becaii.se  she  was  unable  to 
to  do  .so.  Without  a  word,  he  lifted  her  to  her 
feet.  One  moment  she  leaned  again.st  his 
strong  arm,  then  seemed  to  gather  strength. 


178 


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Steppinj^   apart    from   him,   she   stood   alone 
there  in  the  middle  of  the  fliMir. 

Despite  her  waxen  whiteness,  she  was  more 
than  beautiful  —  ethereal.  Her  laccpier  hair 
was  no  more  dark  than  her  stran^je,  lonj;  eyes, 
both  set  ofT  by  an  exquisite  rolK-  of  aneient 
style,  as  Ix-fitted  a  lady  of  noble  blood. 

When  her  hand  touched  that  of  the  Prince 
he  felt  cold  as  ice.  Involuntarily  his  own  palm 
enclosed  hers  warndy.  He  did  not  let  it  go, 
but  drawinj.^  her  closer  to  him,  unmindful  of 
the  as.sendjlcd  company,  he  tried  to  fathom 
the  tragedy  that  seemed  to  lurk  behind  her 
imi)enetrable  eyes.  But,  her  head  drooping 
above  theii  hands,  he  beheld  only  the  sheen 
of  her  glossy  hair.  Then  she  passed  from 
his  side  to  her  uncle  and  her  father. 

Almost  mechanically,  his  eyes  never  once 
relaxing  their  gaze  from  the  face  of  his  l.^ride, 
the  Prince  went  through  the  ceremony.  After 
the  service  he  tried  to  break  the  luicomfortable 
restraint.  He  proix)sed  the  health  of  the  two 
noble  though  previously-  misguided  fanulie'-, 
whose  union  had  now  Ixxn  so  happily  con- 
summated. Rut  his  own  cup  was  the  only 
one  held  high.  Gradually  his  hand  fell  from 
its  elevation.  He  set  the  untasted  sake  down 
among  the  marriage -cups  and  sprang  to  his 
feet. 

"  Let  us  diffuse  some  merriment  among  us," 
he  cried,  "for  the  sake  of  the  gmls  and  for 
our  future  peace   and  hapi)iness.     Such   un- 


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due   solemnity   bodes    dl    for   our    honorable 
future." 

The  samurai    Shimadzu    stepped   forward, 

facing  him  fairly. 

"  My  lord  and  prince,"  he  said,  "  I  have  this 
moment  ^iven  the  signal  for  a  courier  to  hasten 
immediately  to  Choshui  to  accpiaint  my  bit- 
terest enemy  with  the  tidings  of  the  marriage 
of  his  heir  to  my  insignificant  daughter." 

The  Prince  smiled,  despite  his  uneasiness. 

"Surely,  my  lord/'  he  said,  "you  make  a 
goodly  new  and  honorable  custom.  What! 
an  announcement,  perchance  an  invitation 
for  one's  enemy!  That  is  well,  for  we  have 
overturned  all  false  maxims  relating  to  ven- 
geance against  an  enemy.  We  have  buried 
our  wrongs  in  a  union  of  love,  and  embrace 
our  enemies  as  friends." 

"  With  august  humility,"  said  the  samurai, 
coldly,  "  I  would  suggest  that  your  highness's 
assurance  of  our  embrace  is  premature." 

"  Premature  1     What,  and  this  my  marriage 

day!" 

"  Your  marriage  day  may  be  a  source  of  woe 
to  your  proud  house." 

"Well,  that  is  so,"  agreed  the  Prince, 
thoughtfully.  "Nevertheless,"  he  added, 
cheerfully,  "  my  honorable  father  becomes 
more  lenient  with  the  years.  Moreover,  he 
has  but  to  behold  his  new  daughter  to  forget 
all  else  save  the  fortune  the  gods  have  be- 
stowed upon  us." 

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"  Be  assured  your  father  shall  never  behold 
her,"  said  the  samurai,  with  incisive  fierceness. 

"What  IS  that?'* 

"You  have  heard." 

"But  1  do  assure  you  that  my  marriage, 
though  it  may  i>rov(;ke  the  inoinentary  an^^er 
of  my  father,  will  never  debar  my  lady  wife 
from  her  iK)Sition  in  our  household.  \  »)U 
forj^a-t  that  my  honored  parent  is  very  old, 
and  I  shall  soon  have  the  honor  of  lxcomin>^ 
Prince  of  Mori  in  my  own  rij^'ht.  1  shall  then 
have  no  lord  to  deprive  me  of  my  rights,  even 
if  1  had  disregarded  the  law." 

"  Vou  may  as  w  ell  be  made  aware  of  the 
fact  at  once,"  said  Shimadzu,  "that  no  blood 
of  mine  sliall  ever  mingle  with  that  of  the 

Mon!" 

"  I  do  not  understand  your  honorable  speech. 
Has  not  our  august  bloods  just  now  become 
united?" 

"Only  bv  the  law,  my  lord." 

"Well—?" 

"My  daughter,  your  highness,  shall  never 
accompany  her  Mori  husband  to  his  home." 

"  \'ery  well,  then.  I  will  remain  here  with 
her.  I  am  quite  satisfied  to  renounce  all  my 
worldly  ambitions  and  possessions  for  her 
sake,  if  such  is  the  command  of  her  august 
father,"  and  the  Prince  bowed  to  his  father-in- 
law  in  the  most  filial  and  affable  manner. 

"  If  you  remain  here  you  will  not  be  per- 
mitted to  Uve." 


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A  low  cry,  half  moan,  came  from  the  ticw 
I'rmccss  of  Mori,  who  lay  against  her  uncle's 
hrea.st.  Keihi  tiiriucl  to  her  at  that  cry.  Ik- 
was  seized  with  a  fi  inIiodintT  of  events  to  come. 
Aj^aiii  he  tinned  to  the  samurai. 

"Will  it  i)Kase  you,  honored  father-in-law, 
to  speak  more  plainly  to  me?  " 

"  Very  well.  This  marnatie,  your  hij^^hne.ss, 
has  iK'en  consummated  not  for  the  jtur|K»scof 
nnitinj^  a  pair  of  lovers,  hut  to  fuUil  a  pledj^'e 
which  was  made  to  one  who  was  nuirdered  by 
your  parent— a  pledge  of  ventjeance. " 

"  But  I  caiuiot  perceive  how  this  is  accom- 
plished," said  the  Prince,  now  pale  as  Wis- 
taria. 

"Von  have  married  an  Eta  \i\x\." 

"  I  am  aware  of  that,"  said  the  Prince,  some- 
what proudly. 

"  I  have  not  fmi.shcd,"  said  Shimadzu. 
"  Are  you  aware  that  you  arc  at  present  un- 
der .sentence  of  death?  ' 

The  Prince  made  a  contemptuous  motion. 

"By  order  of  the  hakufu  (shogunatc).  Yes, 
I  am  aware  of  the  fact." 

"  Verv  well.     I  am  the  executionerl" 

"You!" 

"  It  was  I  who  caused  your  arrest,  and  after- 
wards broujfht  you  hither  with  the  intention 
of  executinif  you." 

A  flood  of  horrible  thouf^hts  rushed  across 
the  Prince's  mind,  bewilderinfjj  him.  As  if  to 
press  them  back,  he  clasped  his  hands  to  his 


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1k;ii1.     Slimiadzu  coiilimad   iii   his  colil  ami 
iiioiiotMiiMiis  voice: 

"After  your  arrest,  it  was  broiiulu  to  my 
attention  that  a  more  subtle  revenue  against 
your  parent  couKl  Ix'  uained  by  marrying;  \ou 
into  th.it  very  class  of  |»eoi)le  so  despised  by 
your  father,  and  forcing  you  to  Ixrome  (fudty 
of  the  same  offence  for  which  I  was  exiKd 

Stirred  as  he  now  was,  Keikis  faith  in  Wis- 
taria still  remained  unshaken.  That  her  fa 
ther  had  had  a  hand  m  Ixtrayini,'  him  he 
was  assured,  but  he  could  not  yet  recoLMiize 
in  the  deed  the  delicate  hand  of  the  woman 
he  loved. 

" 'riirout^h  the  at^cncy  of  my  daughter," 
went  on  the  samurai,  "  I  was  soon  able  to  learn 
sunicient  concernint^  the  workings  of  the  Im- 
perialist party  of  which  you  are  the  head —  ' 

"The  Iini)erialist  parly!"  repeated  the 
Prince,  and  he  bounded  towards  the  samurai 
with  the  cry  of  a  wounded  animal,  liis  hand 
s|)ran),j  to  his  hip,  where  his  sword  had  been 
restored  to  its  sheath. 

"  Vou— you ! ' '  he  sIk  )uted.  "  It  was  you  who 
bjtrayed  me — who — " 

"  Vou  are  aui^ustly  wront^,"  said  ihe  sa- 
nuirai,  movinu  not  an  inch,  desi)ite  the  close 
proxi  nity  and  menacintj  attitude  of  the  Prince. 
"Vou  honorably  betrayed  yourself!" 

"1:" 

"Certainly.  To  her."  He  indiciited,  with- 
out naminif,  the  Lady  Wistaria. 


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Slowly,  painfully,  driven  by  the  goading 
words  of  the  father,  the  blazing,  burning  eyes 
of  the  husband  sought  Wistaria,  there  to  rest 
upon  her  while  infinite  horror  found  mirror 
in  his  countenance.  Motionless  thus  he 
stood. 

Wistaria,  braced  for  a  shock  she  could  not 
meet,  leaned  against  her  uncle,  whose  head 
bent  over  her.  The  Lady  1-^vening  Glory 
smiled,  as  one  who  delights  in  the  soul  of 
a  cat.  Calm,  satisfied,  unmoved,  remained 
Shimadzu.  Reiki's  eyes  bulged  from  their 
sockets,  his  mouth  gaped  open.  At  last  one 
word  burst  from  his  lips,  but  it  was  as  elo- 
quent as  though  he  had  uttered  a  thou.sand. 

"Thou!" 

Her  head  sank  low.  He  recoikxl  a  step. 
But  with  entranced  horror  he  continued  to 
gaze  at  her.  Her  face  was  like  marble,  out  of 
which  her  dark  eyes  stared  as  though  made 
of  polished,  glazed  china.  And  as  he  g£ized, 
terrible  thoughts  and  remembrances  rushed 
upon  Reiki,  overpowering,  weakening,  paralyz- 
ing him.  After  a  long,  immovable  silence 
he  leaned  slowly  forwanl  until  their  faces, 
close  together,  were  on  a  level. 

"It  is  true?"  he  whispered,  hoarsely. 
"Speak!     Speak!" 

"It  is  true,"  she  replied,  in  a  voice  so  small 
and  faint  that  it  seemed  far  away. 

His  swcrd  leaped  out  of  his  scabbard.  He 
raised  it  as   if  to  strike  her  down.     Hut  his 


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hand  fell  to  his  side.  Then  he  spoke,  in  a 
hoarse,  fearful  voice: 
"The  gods  may  forgive  thee.  I,  never!" 
With  that  he  was  gone  from  the  chamber. 
They  heard  the  clash  of  his  sword  as  it  touch- 
ed the  stone  pavement,  then  the  sound  of  his 
flying  feet,  loud  at  first,  and  then  dying  away 
into  the  silence. 


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AVIXG  fulfilled  his  purpose  in 
life,  the  Shiuuulzu  was  ready, 
eacer,  for  his  own  self-itmnola- 
lion.  He  had  j^repared  for  this 
event  with  strict  oliservance  of 
an  clahorate  etiquette,  just  as 
he.  a  sauuirai,  would  have  prc- 
})ared  for  any  event  of  iiiijxir- 
tauce  in  his  life. 

The  little  house  had  hecn 
thorouehly  cleansed  and  white- 
washed. Fresh  mats  of  straw- 
had  bein  laid  ujxni  the  floor, 
and  the  walls  were  recovered. 
To  admit  the  sunshine,  and  the 
air  of  the  out -door  world,  the 
windows  were  thrown  wide  apart. 


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Shiin^idzu  produced  an  ancient  chest,  from 
which  he  lirout^ht  forth  rare  and  costly  old 
gariaents,  emblazoned  with  the  crests  of  a 
proud  family,  and  a  pair  of  very  lontj  swords. 
The  hilts  were  of  black  lacquer.  The  guard, 
ferule,  cleats,  and  rivets  were  richly  inkiid 
and  emlx)ssed  in  rare  metals.  But  the  Ix'au- 
tiful  blades  were  the  parts  which  shone  out  in 
their  noble,  classic  iK'auty.  They  were  ex- 
tremely narrow,  ^los.sy,  and  brittle  as  icicles. 
The  very  sight  of  them  would  have  awakened 
a  feeling  of  heroism  and  awe  ni  the  bosom 
of  one  less  alive  to  what  they  signified  than 
Shimadzu.  They  were,  in  fact,  two  swords 
which,  belonging  to  a  hundred  ancestors  of 
Shimadzu,  had  been  u.sed  only  in  the  most 
glorious  service. 

"The  girded  sword  is  the  .soul  of  the  sa- 
murai," and  Shimadzu  muttered  an  ancient 
saying  It  had  been  long  since  he  lost  the 
right  to  wear  them  through  his  marriage  into 
the  Eta  class,  and  now  he  regarded  them  with 
such  intense  emotion  that  fierce  tears  blinded 
his  eyesight. 

Reverently,  tenderly,  he  lifted  them  to  a 
place  upon  a  white  table  before  a  shrine  in 
his  own  chamber.  Then  with  a  low  groan 
he  prostrated  himself  before  them,  rather  than 
the  figure  of  the  Daibutsu,  which  placidly 
rested  upon  the  small  throne. 

In  his  inmost  soul,  this  samurai  felt  he  had 
done  a  i^ood  and  righteous  thing  in  achieving 


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his  vcnj^'cancc,  even  though  the  innocent  were 
sacrificed.  Trained  as  he  had  been  in  the 
harsh  school  of  the  samurai,  in  which  self- 
deniid,  contempt  for  pleasure  and  gain,  scorn 
of  death  or  physical  hurt,  and  the  righteous 
vengeance  up<jn  an  enemy  were  esteemed 
virtues,  he  was  steeled  against  all  fear  and 
pain.  I  lis  conscience  was  satisfied  with  itself. 
After  his  silent  prayer,  he  rose  to  his  feet 
very  calmly  and  with  a  degree  of  solemnity. 
He"  had  gathered  fresh  strength  from  his 
prayer.  The  ceremony  of  hari-kari  he  per- 
formed with  grave  dignity  and  punctilious- 
ness. 

First  of  all,  he  gently  lifted  the  two  swords 
and  held  them  in  the  sun,  their  knightly 
significance  strong  in  his  mind.  One  was  to 
use  against  all  enemies  of  his  lord,  the  other 
held  ever  in  readiness  to  turn  upon  himself 
in  atonement  for  fault  or  faintest  suspicion 
of  dishonor,  or,  as  in  his  case,  when  a  duty 
has  been  fulfilled  and  honorable  death  is 
desired  as  a  crowning  end. 

The  samurai  Shimadzu  was  without  a  lord, 
or,  rather,  he  disdained  and  cursed  the  one 
under  whom  he  should  have  served.  Hence 
he  broke  into  a  dozen  pieces  one  of  the  two 
swords,  spurning  the  glittering  pieces  with 
hi.s  foot. 

Then  silently  he  disrobed  to  the  waist. 
Very  slowlv  and  precisely  he  pressed  the  sword 
into  his  btxly  so  that  he  might  lose  none  of 

T—— L  -^—zzmzzcz:        ^      = 


i 


^ 


^ 


i88 


'"^m^^^i^ 


C:::: 


* 


r 


I 


« 


the  pain,  which  he  would  have  scorned  to 
resist.  No  moan  escaped  his  lipvS.  No  muscle 
of  his  face  quivered. 

As  the  sword  sank  deeper  his  brain  whirled 
with  the  dizziness  of  nau.sea,  but,  still  stiff 
and  relentless,  his  arm  obeyed  the  will  ')f  his 
soul,  even  contiiniinj,'  mechanically  to  Jo  so 
when  his  head  had  fallen  backward  into  semi- 
unconsciousness.  He  was  one  hour  and  a 
half  in  dying.  No  words  could  describe  the 
excruciating  nature  of  such  pains.  Certainly, 
as  a  samurai,  his  was  a  fitting  end. 

Such  was  the  nature  of  this  ix.>o))le  that  to 
his  friends  and  relatives  his  act  was  regarded 
as  an  honorable  and  admirable  thing.  Had 
he  faltered  in  its  accomj>lishment  they  would 
have  urged  him  to  the  deed,  entreating  him 
to  save  him.self  from  the  stigma  of  dishon- 
or which  would  otherwise  smirch  liis  good 
name. 

The  following  day  a  large  number  of  Catzu 
samurai  and  vassals  marched  through  the 
Eta  settlement  and  ascended  the  small  hill 
upon  which  sto(xl  the  house  of  the  public  ex- 
ecutioner. The  body  of  the  samurai  was  car- 
ried with  the  utmost  respect  and  reverence 
from  the  Eta  house,  whence  a  train,  bearing 
it  in  due  state,  departed  for  Catzu. 

From  the  E)ta  hou.se  the  Lady  Wistaria,  too, 
was  carried.  Her  train  was  even  more  like 
a  funeral  proce.ssion  than  that  of  her  father; 
for  tliose  who  carried   her  norimon  and  who 


X 


f 


^ 


i 


ri 


f 


189 


„    TOE  .Wooijso  Oi'  VJ3TAR) A 


{?> 


R 


ff 


Cr 


tt^ 


190 


ar: 


^3 


followed  in  its  wake  had  loni^  been  her  jicr- 
sonal  attendants  and  servitors.  Now,  because 
of  their  love  for  her,  thej'  wept  at  almost  every 
step  of  the  journey. 

The  two  tnournful  processions  left  the  I-^ta 
settlement  side  by  side,  but  their  diilerent  des- 
tinations led  to  their  partiuLf  company  at  the 
ba.se  of  the  hill.  The  one  carryin;^  the  dead 
samurai  turned  in  the  direction  of  Catzu. 
There,  (ittintc  ceremonies  were  to  be  ^iven  to 
the  departed  soul  of  Shimadzu,  after  which 
he  would  be  interred  in  the  mortuary  hall  of 
his  ancestors. 

The  train  of  the  Lady  Wistaria  turned  to 
the  south,  travellini^  many  miles  over  bare 
and  uninhabited  regions,  over  i)lains,  i)asf 
hamlets  and  small  towns  and  villages,  on 
towards  the  mountains  of  the  south. 

While  the  last  rays  of  the  .settintj  sim  were 
still  illuminint;  the  west,  the  cort^t^e  of  the 
new  Princess  of  Mori  entered  a  forest  of  ever- 
green j)ines.  When  it  emerged,  the  darken- 
ing sky  had  deepened  its  colors  until  a  melan- 
cholj'  calm  wrapjvd  the  land  in  an  effulgent 
glow.  The  moon  had  risen  on  high  and  was 
shimmering  out  its  holy  light.  The  earth,  re- 
fit 'ting  its  gleam,  seemed  a  tableau  of  silent 
silver. 

They  had  reached  a  beautiful  and  tranquil 
hill.  At  the  top,  above  the  pines  and  cedars 
enclosing  it  in  nature's  own  .sacred  wall,  the 
amber   ]>eaks  of  a   celestial   temple,    with  its 


^ 


•rj 


; 


r 


M 


^ 


myriad  slanlinjj  li>j;ht.s,  pointed  upward  in 
the  skj'.     Their  journey  was  ended. 

\'ery  still  row  sto(Kl  the  cort^j/e.  Low  and 
deeply  bent  stood  the  silent  attendants,  as 
with  streainin^j  eyes  the\'  grazed  lonj^Mngly 
ujMm  the  slight  young  figure  which  the  samu- 
rai Genji,  almost  bowed  over  with  jK-rsonal 
grief,  assisted  to  alight  from  the  norimon. 
In  her  white  rol)es  the  Lady  Wistaria  seemed  a 
spirit  as  she  stood  there  under  the  moonbeams. 
Mutely  she  looked  about  her.  As  the  muflled 
sobs  of  her  .servitors  reached  her  cars,  she 
wrung  her  hands  with  an  uncon.scious  gesture 
of  anguish  greater  than  their  own. 

As  if  in  sympathy  with  the  inten.sc  .sadness 
over  all  who  were  there,  nature  herself  seemed 
to  show  signs  of  her  own  distress.  Clouds 
rolled  over  the  skies  above  the  mountains, 
veiling  the  moon  and  the  star  beams.  A 
little  river  that  flowed  at  the  foot  of  the  hill 
was  heard  sobbing  as  it  rolled  with  a  mournfid 
sound  over  iis  rapids. 

But  the  lights  twinkled  out  warmly  from 
the  temple  beyond,  and  a  white-robed  priest- 
ess was  descending  to  welcome  the  novitiate. 
An  odor  of  sweet  incense,  such  as  of  umegaku 
or  tambo,  was  wafted  to  the  watchers  on  the 
hill  from  the  temple  dcwrs.  Wistaria  turned 
her  face  towards  it.  Then  back  again  she 
directed  her  glance  to  her  kneeling  servitors. 
Her  voice  was  as  soft  and  gentle  as  a  bene- 
diction. 

— a: —     1        — ^  1    — i 

191 


i 


'r 


^ 


4^ 


"  Pray  thee  "  she  said,  "  to  take  care  of  your 
hunoral)le  healths.     Sayonara!" 

She  hesitated  on  the  threshold  of  the  temple. 
Then  sileiUly  she  entered  the  place  of  tranqud 
rest  amid  the  shadows  of  the  mountains. 


^ 


4=^ 


192 


=S=» 


I 


-X- 


o: 


r 


•I 


HE  Prince  Ktiki  had  Ikcm  on 
the  hiL;invay  three  days  hi.f<ire 
he  b^vaiiie  au.iiii  soimc!  hiiiLC 
more  ihcHi  an  uiiconsLinus  au- 
luiiialDU.  Alter  the  hi -t  jj;iLat 
J^lioek  of  \\i~!;iMa'.s  K\Lial:(in 
h..d  passed  Irnm  Imii,  tiuie  had  f 
Cuiiie  a  despLiale  teirir  and 
horror  whieli  S!..ii;i.d  lo  nainh 
his  l.icuhies.  l"or  se\x:  il  claws 
he  was  not  conscious  ol  any- 
thir.t;  eitlier  wilhin  or  without 
hull.  Tiiere  was  no  aii^Uish 
in  Ins  heart  or  int.  ili^Lii.e  m 
his  bntin.  Ihs  iir.iiojv  of 
events  succeedinu;  \\  i^tana  s  un- 
masking, as  he  Ix'heved  it,  was 


i93 


:p=i 


h, 


^ 


'?* 


F* 


c=ii 


^ 


n 


as  v.'iuuc  as  the  lanylcd  threads  of  a  droatn. 
1  li'  had  falKn  into  i hat  apathetic  lethargy  \nth 
wliicli  lie  had  Km  aflhcled  upon  his  arrest. 

He  had,  It  is  true,  \uieertain  recolKttions 
of  ;i  place  passed  on  the  way,  or  of  a  halt  here 
and  rcfteshiiieiil  there,  Inil  he  could  not  assert 
that  they  were  real,  lie  nii^ht  have  dreamed 
iheni.      lie  could  not  tell. 

Then  Kedii  returned  to  h.is  normal  \^ix^^.. 
lie  awoke  as  from  a  troubled  .^leej)  to  a  world 
of  torment.  Could  he  have  slept,  and,  slee|)- 
inu,  have  imagined  the  evmls  with  which  the 
name  Wistaria  was  repulsively  as.sociated? 
Xo!  It  was,  alas,  all  loo  true.  He  must  Ixar 
it.  As  the  first  sharp  an^uish  of  his  awaken- 
iim  i)as.sed  away,  there  came  visions  to  com- 
fort Keiki. 

When  what  he  termed  in  after  years  his 
great  awakenini:  bur.st  u[Km  him,  he  found 
hunself  walking  down  a  muddy  road  which 
led,  his  sense  of  locality  told  him,  south  to  his 
l)rovince  of  Choshui.  It  was  raining,  fierce- 
ly, sullenly.  Almcst  with  a  feeling  of  relief, 
keiki  found  that  he  was  wet.  It  gave  him 
new  life  and  new  courage  to  do  r.ome  simple 
elemental  thing,  such  as  drawing  his  cape 
tighter,  closer  about  him.  Then,  as  he  battled 
against  the  wind  and  the  driving  rain,  a  fierce 
joy  came  to  him.  He  was  wise  in  the  wisdom 
of  suffering.  His  life  .shcmld  be  devoted  to  the 
cause.  No  woman  should  destroy  the  signif- 
icance life  held  for  hmi. 


\\ 


^ 


a: 


Ki 


194 


-J.         : 


* 


= — >         x= 


3^ 


^ 


Jlr, 


Too  loiiti   lia  1  he  tarriol   wilh  iticlijiatioii 
lie  had  pictured  to  himself  a  Ixaiitifid  high- 
way ihroULih  life,  \\]nn\  which  Wistaria  should 
tread  by  his  side.     She  was  lost  forever.     The 
rou).,'h  path,  the  developuit;  jtath  of  struu'ule. 
should    \k'    his.      He    would    ni>t     falter,      lie 
would  1k'  true  lirst  to  himself,  his  hiuher  .self, 
and  then  to  the  holy  cause  of   his  cduntry. 
Patriotism  and  the  restoration  of  riuhlful  rule 
to  the  Mik;  do  should  miide  him  in  every  act. 
The  events  throuirh  which  he  had  i)assed  had 
consecrated  him  anew.     His  life  could  not  he 
taken;  he  could  not  fail,  until  all  had  Ixen 
accom])lished. 

In  the  new  life  which  he  was  alxnit  to  enter 
his  course  would  not  always  1k'  i>lain  ;  he  would 
not  always  Ix'  understood.  For  that  he  must 
bo  ])repared. 

When  the  Princo  Keiki  had  thus  set>  i  the 
past  and  ordered  the  future,  he  Ix-j^^an  to  take 
cotfuizance  of  outward  conditions,  as  Ix-came 
him  now.  It  was  wet,  and  ^rowinix  dark.  He 
must  seek  .shelter  for  the  nitrht.  Turnini^  aside 
from  the  highway,  Keiki  asked  the  simple 
hospitality  of  the  country-side  from  a  little 
house  hard  by  the  path  of  travel.  Althouj^h 
it  was  long  past  the  hour  of  their  evening 
meal,  the  good  dwellers  in  the  cottage  sent 
their  daughter  to  the  rear  of  the  house  to  pre- 
pare food  for  the  hvmgry  Prince. 

Sitting  alone  in  a  corner,  Keiki,  waited  upon 
by  the  little  maiden,  f<jund  a  qvuet  and  comfort 


L 


X 


'r^ 


595 


'P 


t 


>=:zz=r-m 3 -nm 


I    -  S  1 


»^ 


tliit  tlnn-  (liivs  ;iu()  he  wniilil  li  iw  tlimmht 
i:iilH.'  iiilc.  A  --tr  ni^f  cnin'orl  (  ^  h  iK  s  fiDiii  ^ 
a  pcrlejtlv  a|';  '  '  '  1  ni'  il  a'l.r  tlij  Ik  art  lias 
1  -1  iri  1.  It  IS  th.'  a'  M.'  of  dc  pair,  llic 
r  /  ,;  III  n!"  CM.  s  (i'lly  lo  one's  sell.  Keiki, 
.,'.  ■]>  1  ,;i  ilu-sf  fantastic  rclli  .•l;<'!is.  snd-  |^ 
(!  '\  Ii.caiiie  cons:i(»ns  cf  tlu'  f."t  that  for 
.-  \.i.il  iniiinfi's  pa4  thr  ln'l/  inaul  I;  ^l  lu\ii 
maUiiiu  Strang  .viL'nals  \<>  li'ii.  S  ■.  .ni;  this, 
iic  .'-■li'.i  1  to  h  r  to  iri\aii  e.  Sh>.'  <h(l  so, 
1:  t  III  a  lallcimii  an  1  ;,1  lost  ftanal  fa -h:"n. 
\\  ]  w  II'-  ■••  i;v"/h  to  h'Mi  to  sp  •  '1;  without 
],  ;■;(,  ,  :'.  '  1.  s'-.  •  u'  <■>' e.l  ill  I'.rror  at  his 
)         ;ail  s!  i  t'.  ih  •  u  'I  lu.l,  ulurc  she  j»:(»^- 

1;   ,;     ';   li  W    at  h  >    I      '.  her  lleatl  lioihhn^'  in 

fi  ,i :  '•  ■••  II 111,    'lis  ot   s   1.1  1  \'. 

"  W  I'v,  uh  it  is  ihisV  '  ejaculated  the  Prince, 

di.-..'    .1. 

"\—\i>\\r  h'lrhii' '^sl"  she  pasprd. 

"  Sp  i!^,"  s  ■:■!  Kt  k',  sli  t'lly.  "Vouappcar 
de-'voas  of  s  ;\;n'j;  iiu'.      What  is  it?" 

S'l'  losj  li'L  aio'iin'jly. 

"  \'oii  I,  '1-t  not  tai  y  h<  re  lontT,'"  she  whis- 
ptr.  1.    "  'I'lie  si»ie:-  of  the  Shogun  are  alxmt.'* 

••Ila''" 

"It  is  lao-'dly  re-pirtod  that  the  Shining 
Prinv''  Keik!  h  is  es'ja;v'd  his  fate.  The  roads 
aij  1)  t.  Th'-'y  are  tracking  his  fo()1stci)s. 
\.\:i\  ii')\v  .so  ]].'  of  th  111  are  ])efore  the  house. 
Oh.  ■)]v  l"ul,  I  l^n^l\v  you  to  reseinjjk' too  clxsely 
t'lj  S'unin.:  Trince  for  yon  to  linger  here. 
We — the  whole  country — are  ni  symp.ilhy  w  ith 


X 


190 


ir^ 


^=3 


Siis:^?!;-;^  -■^7:=S 


1  -         ^ m 


rs: 


tlicc  ami  uoiiM  iK-fruiul  tluv.  l.ul  the  slu>- 
UUiiatL--"  SIk'  I.vw'uc  ..If,  h.r  Iv.^r  iiii.l  tlis- 
tK.-s  i....i|ikul:.   ()\^  .I'Dw.riUi;  111  r. 

Kciki  Uiul  an  altil  luiiul  u',  <'ii  h,s  su...rd. 

••.\(.ia-  hiav  t.il..'  mc  iU'V.  ,'  h  s..i>i.  dc- 
fiaiUlv.  "I.M    I  a    ;  b-.    ^ul-  v.... v.   ^\'." 

'•C":ilL''"    !!■         'i    llic    lltlk'    H.;.    i. 

•' \Vl>;ll..  r!      .  .  lu  ;-a  llu-  I'l  'i.c 

I'll  111):;  asu'K-  \\i-  ilot'i-s  al  \\:c  nar.  slic 
led  K.iUruii..  [\w  i,,;i-:.a.  I'a-  .'.:•:  iluouuh 
It,  tluy  CM.,.'  to  a   V.    d.     Tlic   ii:  .;d  .si<.Ki-. 

"L;.  id)  ta-.  Iumi  b)  llic  \vi.-l.  <ii>  alniitj 
the  1"  :'i  a  l>  I  uiilii  >(!i  c.'Uic  li'  a  cr.>.  j  .'.ih. 
Tak-J  ihil,  and  vnii  will  c.'inc(-ul  \.\  u  ;.>'ir 
SoullKrii  lualc  b-luw  ihc  dai.^>.r  ]  >>  ..i.      1— 

'lliLiv  was  a  mmcaK'Hl  u\  ih^'  l.a>h.  -  bcliaid. 

"Oh,  all  llic  uails!"  .she  cried.     'It  i.s  to.) 

kile,   I   Icar!" 

•■  What  do  you  then '.'■'  a  v.iice,  stern  u.lh 
tlucalLiiaiU,  tlea.aiukd  Iroui  the  l-ilshes.  '1  lie 
maid  re.-poiided; 

"  tVace  I.)  thee!  I  do  but  bid  farewell  to 
my  lover.  " 

A  lau,i,^h  aii^weretl. 

"Do  not  tear,  maiden.     We  do  not  di-^turb 
cooinj;  baJ.s,"  eaiue  liom  ih.:  bu.shes,  and  a 
drawn  swoid  was  .shilled  from  hand  lo  hand, 
i     carele.ssl_\-. 

VI  The  warm  blood  .suited  about  the  temple-s 
of  Keiki.  I3ecau.-5e  of  the  periidy  of  Wisiana, 
he  would  aeceiJt  no  .ser\  ice  from  her  sex. 

"I  did  n..l  need  thy  he,  maiden,"  he  -said. 

tj? i-=: 


'y/ 


Baai 


=&=3 


f* 


w 


Tlu'ii  to  those  in  the  l)ushes  he  shouted: 

"  I  am  he  wliom  yen  seek,  the  IVince  Keiki. 
Come,  t:ike  iiie!" 

As  he  sj)ol<e,  he  hurled  his  cajn:  to  the  Kromul 
and  rested  his  sword  with  its  j)oint  U])<)n  his 
saudalk'd  foot,  ^ni^k  as  was  his  action,  it 
was  met  hy  those  huldni,^  in  hi(h!ii,f.  Three 
forms  glided  out  from  the  hushes.  Three 
bkides  Ihished  towards  him.  Keiki *s  quicl< 
eve  ])ercei\e(l  that  those  altackintr  him  wore 
but  one  swonk  They  were  e\idently  nurel\- 
Shouun  spies  or  common  sokhery.  Their 
chnusy  h.nidliuii  of  their  swords  liHed  his  .soul 
with  a  wild  ekilion.  I  le  woukl  ha\e  some  i>kiy 
with  these  \assals — he,  Keiki,  the  most  ex- 
(juisite  swonksman  in  Japan,  and  the  most 
linishetl  Jiujutsu  student. 

"  Come  hither— hitlier!"'  he  taunted.  "  With- 
out dishonor  ye  may  yiekl  your.sehes  to  me. 
Keiki,  the  invincible!" 

.\  savaire  yell  replied.  In  imagination,  per- 
ha])s,  the  Sho^un  spies  saw  the  ^litterin,^  price 
of  ihe  Prince's  head  withiti  their  hands.  They 
closed  with  him, 

'I'he  hand  of  Keiki  instcUitly  snatched  the 
second  sword  from  his  l)elt.  With  a  sword 
in  each  hand  he  met  the  advance.  The  sword 
in  his  richt  hand  met  and  parried  the  initial 
blows  and  thrusts  of  his  two  adversaries;  the 
sword  in  his  left  met  the  l)lade  of  the  third, 
;ind.  thouLrh  it  could  not  attack,  maintained 
an  effect i\"e  defeiice. 


X 


*■ 


«A 


1«)>'S 


ezSz 


TOE.WOOiisG  op  ViSTARiA 


13: 


a: 


^B 


\ 


w 


The    attackintj    swordsiiicn    were    startled. 
Such  a   thiuu   was   beyond   the   traditions  of    |^ 
the  samurai,  and  a  feat  weUnii^'h  inii)ossi])le. 
Of  a  sudden  the  blade  of  the  first  of  Keiki's 
adversaries  dealt  a  vicious  blow.      Keiki  met 
it  with  his  left-hand   sword,  and  before  the 
blade  could   be   recovered   by   his  enemy   tlie 
sword   in   his   ri^ht   hand   had    turned    to   the 
second  adversary.     This  one,  imi)repare(l  for 
Kciki's  sudden  on.'^lau^ht,  fell  back,  with  his 
sword-arm  severed  at  the  wrist.     Attain  the 
first  antau:()nist   thrust;   Keiki   met  him.     He 
now  had  an  antaj^onist  on  either  side  of  him, 
at  iK)ints  nearly  opjxisite.     lie  answered  the 
blow  t)f  the  one  with  the  first  of  his  two  swords, 
while   the  other   recovered   his   blade.     There 
could  be  only  one  issue  to  such  unecjual  combat. 
The    iK)sition    of    his    adversaries    would    not 
permit   Keiki   to   fi^ht   them   with  one  sword 
alone.     Alive  to  the  necessities  of  his  iH)sition, 
Keiki  kept  slowly  turning  as  his  ojiiHuients 
tried    to    take    him    from    belund.     Suddenly 
Keiki  fell  uixm  his  left  knee,  as  though  over- 
come, while  with  hi.s  ritlht-hand  sword  he  kepi 
up  a  viu:orous  attack.     The  sword  in  his  left 
hand    became    feebler,    weaker    in    its    mo\e- 
ments.     Thinkint;  Keiki  affected  by  some  of     p! 
the  numerous  small   wounds   with   which   he 
was  covered  desjMte  his  defence,  the  soldier  on 
Keiki's  left  rushed  in  to  desj)atch  him,  leavint,^ 
himself  but  |X)orly  guarded.     The  sword  o\>- 
po.-^ed  to  him  became  swiftly  active.     It  passed 

=z3=:i wz=x arrzuzto 


rt 


109 


^ 


^^' 


t^ 


I 


, 


c4- 


iiilM  !lu  1  ■■..•:i-;t  (.f  ilu'  s.miiir.ii,  .>.  luTc  Kcild, 
:  '    '1  i'"  il      ■   ■  '.:\   u.is  (>\cr,  allmvccl  il  to 

i,)uick]y  ii:i:aiii:nLr  bis  k\[,  the  Prince  dc- 
\i;vd  hii  ;.-Jl  to  h:.s  iLnKii'.iiiiu''  eiuiuy,  who 
v.as  a  !..:  .  ;■  .s\vord5^in;i!i  iiini  the  others. 

"\!^id!"  liiteatetud  K^ili,  as  he  deaU  a 
r  i:ii..us  lAow  at  tlie  <'thrr's  liuid. 

iiis     antnuonist      ]at"J"^d.        Innnediately 
f' '      1  ''".'         :•]  i:       I<  sr.cccs'^ion  at  tile  (»ther's 
,  '  ;   ll)!(jal.      III.-  Ii;sl  lAow  was 

:  i.'     i    -  on.]  at  ll'e  l.ad  was  a  feint. 

''  •  ■.:•  soldier  rais' d  his  swnrd  to  meet  it, 
'  ■  .  ii!":i>;'!'i  -L(l.  lhrii>l  through  his  throat. 
He  fell. 

I];,  lU  ja-^r  ];.,  a\;'y  faim  his  exertinn,  Keiki 
1  '   ■'     >t't  hi'n   ]■  r  ilie  I'.ud,  and  the  sj)V 

^v:.  '  '  ::<■  Id  .-^r.CMl.  lie  found  the 
m.i:dL;i  bcudui!.(  o\i.r  tiie  liiKss  htidy  of  his 
a:i;a'f'«ni-t.  Fiovi  h-.v  limd  a  small  dairicer 
slij'; '.d  to  tiie  Li'^'Mid.  Salislied  as  to  her 
^nk'iV,  K  ''.i  i\\\\i]  Iv  divw  out  his  kfl  sword 
f:";n  the  bicar-l  ol  lii.'-:  ojqoiuat.  Then  with- 
out a  word  lie  cli'ii'^d  tlie  wall  and  took  the 
sont])v!n  u  \\[r  ac;i:n,  d-  'aining  to  follow  the 
(b: .    :■        ■  <  f  !'^>   l:'k'   h'-slc';s. 

ill  a  5\o-llLld  fa' ill,'-  (k^wn  the  road  he 
'  '".d  uj)  his  w.iir  Is  v,  illi  the  torn  lininLT  of 
his  hnori.  Th'wU-h  tlie  larger  part  of  the 
fnl'     :■■    :  (1;  '■   he  s!e|  t. 

A  .:  ■'  1  l■^'  t'le  re.ent  oeetu'ix  i^ces  at  the 
lilik'   h  ■;i-e   !i\-   the  hi'_h.va\-,    IviUi,   wjio  be- 

200 


Oiil 


1^ 


^ 


WZMJOO\uO  op  Vi5TAR)A 


3: 


:3:: 


licvcd  that  the  Shof^iin  had  |)iit  a  |)ricc  upon 
his  head,  iKtw  travelled  only  at  nij^ht.  The 
days  he  si)ent  in  sleej),  and  in  Uxatinii^,  without 
exposinij  himself  too  much,  the  scenes  of  *"  lacj- 
injx  exi)editions  made  at  niuht  throuj^h  which 
he  managed  to  secure  the  means  of  sustenance. 

The  vif.,Mirous  and  unnatural  ii),^ht  through 
which  he  had  just  passed  had  a  further  n\- 
vigoraling  elTeet  uikhi  lum.  Before  that  he 
had  been  near  to  death  in  his  thoughts — death 
for  the  cause.  Now  he  resohed  in  fresh  and 
vigorous  deternuniition  to  live — and  to  live 
gloriously  for  the  greatest  cause  that  had 
ever  made  a  pulse  to  leaj)  in  Japan. 

At  dusk  on  the  fifth  day  after  the  fight, 
Keiki  set  forth  upon  the  last  stage  of  his  jour- 
ney, lie  was  now  near  to  the  i)orders  of  the 
Choshui  province.  A  few  hours  later  he 
reckoned  that  he  had  crossed  the  boundary 
and  was  well  within  the  limits  of  his  father's 
country,  when  there  came  to  him  the  sound 
of  swords  clashing  beyond  a  turn  in  the  road. 
Keiki,  now  grown  cautious,  skirted  the  sfxit 
through  a  field,  and  then  crejit  witlun  sight  of 
the  ])lace. 

Five  men  were  pitted  against  three,  while 
on  the  road  lay  the  bodies  of  two  more.  Keiki 
had  made  up  his  mind  to  aid  the  lessc.  |)ar- 
ty,  when  an  exclamation  in  well- remembered 
tones  came  to  him.  It  was  from  one  of  the 
le.sser  party,  old  Hashimoto,  a  trusted  follower 
of  his  father. 


^ 


201 


f 


g-ik-tg 


— ^ 1  T 


In  a  moment  Kciki  was  in  the  road.  Re- 
fore  either  ^arty  were  aware  of  his  presence, 
he  had  killed  two  of  the  lariL^cr  number. 

'  I  aid  thee  I"  he  shouted,  as  with  his  father's 
men  he  entiaj^ed  the  des[)ised  Shoj^aui  follow- 
ers. Speedily  another  of  their  number  fell. 
The  four  obtained  the  easy  surrender  of  the 
others. 

Hashimoto  approached  the  Prince. 
"We  thank  thee  for  thy  aid — "  he  be^ran. 
Then,  recognizinp   Keiki,  he   started   back   a 
pace  and  fell  upon  his  knees. 

"My  no])le  prince!  My  master!"  he  cried, 
as  he  caught  his  robe  and  reverently  pressed 
it  to  his  lips. 

"  Thy  master?"  repeated  Keiki.  "  My  father, 
what  of  him?" 

"Taken,  vour  highness." 
"  Taken?" 

"After  the  rumors  of  your  capture,  your 
highness,  we  at  once  determined  to  raise  the 
Imperial  standard  against  the  Shogun,  £ind 
your  father — " 

"  But  we  were  not  ready.     None  of  our  plans 
had  been  carried  out!"  cried  the  Prince. 
Hashimoto  answered ; 

"True,  your  highness,  but  your  father  was 
promised  the  assistance  of  most  of  the  south- 
ern clans.  Consequently  he  seized  a  nunilx.'r 
of  Buddhist  monasteries  and  cast  their  huge 
bronze  lx>lls  into  cannon.  His  undertaking 
was  revealed  to  the  Shogun  before  our  allies 


r 


^ 


H 


^ 


,  \ 


3E 


X 


4^ 


* 


could  join  us,  and  he  was  surprised  and  taken 
^    captive." 

"He  serves  a  sentence?" 

"He  was  sentenced,  your  highness.  But 
the  gods  have  anticij)ated — he  is  dead." 

Reiki  threw  off  his  cape,  which  Hashimoto 
respectfully  lifted. 

"  Attend  uie  to  the  fortress,"  he  connnanded. 

The  followers  l>owed  deeply.  Suddenly 
Keiki  raised  his  voice. 

"  Daigi  Meibunor!  The  Shogun  .shall  die!" 
he  cried. 

The  followers  answered  with  a  cheer. 

With  head  lx)wed  in  deep  thought,  Keiki 
led  the  way  towards  the  principal  fortress  and 
castle  of  the  Mori. 


9 


{ 


c=# 


20^, 


IP 


^^Vg^li^f^^ 


TOE  .WOOjrsG  op  Vi5TAR)A     n 


POX  his  return  to  the  fortress, 
Kciki,  as  the  capable  and  de- 
voted leader  of  the  cause  of  Ini- 
l)erialisin,  was  deferred  to  by  his 
brothers.  He  at  once  assumed 
in  his  own  rit^ht  the  command 
of  the  resources  of  the  clan. 

The  hou.sehold  was  put  uiK)n 
ci    footing    even    more    military 
than    lx?fore.       Retrular    watch 
was   kept   at   all   ])oints  of   the 
estate   and    at    the    boundaries 
l<f,'&         :  of    the    province.      Reports    of 
o.¥»  ^^^^    all  cro^siniT  the   Ixiundaries  of 
'<^<^   the  j)rovince  in  either  direction 
were  made  to  Keiki  each  morn- 
ing. 


a 


*. 


204 


?F3 


Ozl:: 


4' 


t 


TO£  .VOOji^G  Of  ViSTAPJA     n 


An  army  of  lalx)rcrs  impressed  into  service 
from  the  Mori  as  well  as  the  friendly  southern 
provinces  were  put  to  worU  stren^theiun^  the 
defences  of  the  Mori  fortress,  now  Ix'come  the 
war  hea(l(]uarters  of  the  Imperial  jjart^-. 

The  castle  ilseh.  situated  within  the  centre 
of  the  province,  approach  to  which  on  all  sides 
must  be  made  throu;.;h  friendly  [)rovinces, 
with  the  exception  of  the  Catzu,  lx;cause  of 
its  natural  defensive  j)roperties,  became  the 
nucleus  for  a  host  of  outworks  shelterinjf  the 
activities  of  Keiki.  Within  the  line  of  for- 
tifications surrounding  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  the  fortress  were  the  factories  and  foun- 
dries now  built  by  those  who  acknouleilged 
Keiki  as  their  leader.  For  while  all  this  owed 
its  inception  to  the  ShininL,^  Prince,  it  could 
not  Ik-  carried  out  with  his  resources  alone. 
The  neij.fhlx)ring  clans,  who.se  lords  in  the 
Ikast  had  held  e(}ual  and  superior  rank  to  the 
Sho^un,  sent  of  their  Ix'st  to  the  Prince  of 
Mori.  The  clans  of  Satsuma,  Ozumi,  llin^a, 
Xagate,  Suwo,  the  I.iu  Kiu  Islands,  and  others 
ordered  their  artisiins  and  mariners  to  Kciki's 
headquarters. 

The  old  Prince  of  Satsuma,  more  learned 
in  European  civilization  than  Keiki  (although 
Choshui  was  the  home  in  Japan  of  Dutch 
.sciences),  was  the  Prince's  precej)tor.  Under 
his  direction  the  cannon  foundries,  whose 
weapons  of  war  were  to  oust  the  Shogun,  were 
built.     A  sort  ol  light  rifle  designed  by  Sat- 


X 


^' 


8^ 


^^ 


«t: 


TWE -WOOING  op  v^iSTAPvjA^ 


suma  was  manufactured  luulcr  his  direction 
near  Reiki's  fortress.  The  castle,  which  in 
time  of  war  would  afford  protection  to  all  these 
works  and  foundries,  was  reduced  in  the  num- 
ber of  its  livinis^  apartments.  The.se  were  sit- 
uated within  the  inmost  recesses.  All  alx)ut 
the  old  iwrtions  of  the  house  were  huilt  broad 
platforms.  UiK)n  their  edt,a-s  were  set  stone 
walls  with  openinf^s  for  cannon.  These,  as 
fast  as  they  came  from  the  foundry,  were 
set  in  tiers  so  arranged  that  they  could  com- 
mand the  approaches  to  the  lar^e  circle,  within 
which  were  set  the  factories  and  works  of  the 
|i}    Imperialists. 

In  the  midst  of  these  activities  Keiki  found 
relief  from  the  flood  ol  memories  that  other- 
wise mif^ht  have  overwhelmed  him.  He  felt 
that  now  he  was  rising  to  true  j^reatness.  l^jr 
him  personally,  selfishly,  life  held  nothing. 
It  was  for  his  country  he  lalx)red.  So  austere 
and  unbending  was  his  demeanor,  that  for 
months  after  his  return  his  brothers  forel)ore 
to  speak  of  the  message  that  had  come  during 

his  absence. 

But  one  evening  as  he  sat  in  his  chamlxT 
alone,  within  the  centre  of  the  fortress,  his 
brother,  Komozawa,  came  to  him  and  held  out 
in  silence  the  letter  which  had  disturlx-d  them. 
Keiki  read  sullicient  to  a.scertain  its  tenor. 
Then  gently  he  laid  it  aside.  There  was  no 
passion  to  "his  tones  or  manner  as  he  said, 
coldly : 
J i ^K  i  — <t 


¥ 


^ 


. 


■\ 


ii 


206 


W^ 


?■• 


TOE.WOojiNG  Of  ViSTARJA 


2E: 


3E: 


"Brother,  whatever  truth  or  falsity  may 
lie  iti  this  epistle  is  of  the  past,  and  con- 
cerns me  alone.  It  cannot  affect  the  fiilure. 
Speak  to  me  no  more  of  the  leaves  of  last 
autumn." 

"  But — "  lx.'(.xan  the  brother,  timidly. 

Keiki  sprauLj  to  his  feet.  There  was  a 
cloud  u|M)n  his  brow,  dark  and  threatening. 
His  sword  showed  half  its  bare  length. 

"  N'ot  a  word,"  he  .said,  "or,  dearly  as  I  love 
you,  this  blade  shall  {.jive  you  explanation." 

Komozawa  l)owed  submissively  and  retired. 

In  the  thoULjhts  that  the  words  of  his  broth- 
er had  called  into  Ix-inj.^  Ked<i  was  led  to  re- 
memlKT  the  imprisoned  Toro,  who.se  existence 
hi.'  had  forj.r()tten.  Innnedialely  he  ordered  the 
youth  iK'fore  him. 

To  his  surpri.se  he  found  that  Toro,  in- 
stead of  apj)earinj^  sidlen  or  dejected,  was 
(piite  cheerful  and  optimistic.  He  greeted  the 
Prince  with  .so  much  Ijonhomie  and  frank- 
ness that  Keiki  was  pu^-zled  at  first  to  know 
how  to  treat  him. 

"  Toro,"  he  .said,  "  I  have  come  to  a  deci.sion 
regarding  you." 

"That  i.s"  good,"  said  Toro,  at  once,  "for  I 
really  am  becoming  interested  in  my  pros- 
pects. 

"  And  what  are  your  pro.spects?"  .said  Keiki. 

Toro  hngered  his  .sash  buoyantly,  and  as- 
sumed the  attitude  of  a  gay  spark. 

"Well,  if  it  iilea.se  j'ou,  my  lord,  I  siiould 

=3= 


^ 


X 


3t — 


=£=|p 


4- 


t ^ :^ r riz 


^ 


4 


Cr 


S 


wish    to    remain    iii    Chushui,  hut    ut    peace 
ami  hherty,  pray  uiukrslatul." 

Keilvi  frowned  impatiently,  hut  Toro  remain- 
ed ai)parenlly  unconcerned. 

"  In  fad,"  lie  added,  itn^eiiuously,  "  I  would 
very  much  like  to  remain  in  Choshui  as  a 
gijL'st — such  as  your  excellency  was  in  my  own 
province.  I  do  assure  you,  my  lord,  that  I 
have  not  heen  treated  with  the  e<iual  hospi- 
tality and  courtesy  olTered  to  your  hiuhn^ss 
in  Cat/.u."  ^, 

"  It  is  imiK)ssil)le  for  you  to  remain  here, 
said  Keiki ;   "matters  have  changed." 

"  Then  let  me  recall  a  certain  promise  made 
to  me  hy  your  excellency.  Tor  my  services 
ni  your  hehalf  with  my  lady  cousin  in  Catzu, 
you  in  return — " 

He  sto])!)ed  abru[)tly,  held  hy  the  expression 
on  the  other's  face.  For  the  first  time  he  per- 
ceived that  the  Prince  was  in  an  unnatural 
state  of  mind. 

"  Wistaria,  my  lord— what  of  her?  You  do 
not  mean  to  tell  me  that  you  failed  in  your 

suiti" 

With  a  sob  in  which  no  tears  intcrmingkxi, 
Keiki  raised  his  sword,  cnily  to  drop  it,  groan- 
ing inwardly. 

"  Return  to  your  father,  Toro.  Be  warned 
bv  me  that  this  is  best." 

"Hut  I  wish  to  rc\)cai  that  your  highness 
promised — " 

"  Listen.     If  you  remain  here,  your  hfe  will 


-n: 


tu 


208 


2C^ 


«=*: 


4 


4 


y iin 


3C: 


not  be  safe.  Do  not  further  protest.  I  will 
say  this,  that  if  your  lorclship  docs  not  cart- 
to  follow  my  sugj^estion,  I  .shall  he  forced  to 
eject  you  or  allow  niy  ollicers  to  deal  with  >  ou. ' 

Toro  shrugj;ed  ant^ry  shouldt-rs,  a  t^esture 
to  Keiki  reminiscent  of  his  mother.  The 
action  displeased  him.  Sharply  he  dapped 
his  hands.  To  the  ollicers  answering  his  sum- 
mons he  said,  bnclly : 

"  Be  jio<xl  enoujjjh  to  have  my  Lord  of  Catzu 
taken  to  Catzu  under  such  escort  as  he  may 
require."  To  Toro  he  bowed  perfunctorily; 
"Good-day,  my  lord." 

The  prejxirations  and  activities  of  the  past 
few  months  had  brought  all  within  the  domi- 
nation of  Keiki  to  active  readiness  for  war. 
Keiki  himself  was  now  of  greater  value  to 
his  cause,  since  old  Satsuma  had  taught  him 
all  he  knew  —  the  result  of  years  of  Euro- 
pean study  and  reading  —  of  the  making  of 
the  munitions  of  war.  The  lingering  disease 
which  threatened  Satsuma  need  carry  no  fear 
to  the  Imperialists.  Keiki,  the  disciple  and 
heir  in  knowledge  to  Satsuma,  could  wtll 
coi)e  with  any  man  in  the  world  in  the  utiliza- 
tion of  the  war  resources  at  his  hand. 

Only  a  pretext,  a  ha[)ix.Miing  that  should 
afford  the  ojx^ning  wedge  for  war,  was  wanting 
to  the  Imixirialists.  The  public  mind  must 
be  quieted  by  the  outbreak  of  hostilities  as  the 
logical  outcome  of  some  event,  not  as  a  sudden, 
uncaused  outburst. 


2oq 


fc 


* 


„    TOE  .\5;oo]i>iG  of  WiSTARlA 


X 


4 


t» 


4 


It  was  durinu  these  days  (tf  waititiR  that  the 
old  Lord  Satsuiria  suiiyht  KeiUi  «.iil  ui  the 
interior  of  the  fortress.  There  was  an  evident 
|)erturhation  and  eniharrassmeiit  manifest  in 
ins  heariiiLT.  KeiUi,  alarmed  lest  some  ac- 
cident shonid  have  endati'jered  one  of  the 
l»ro]ects  of  the  Ial)or  «)f  years,  started  nprn 
sijxht  of  his  hereditary  friend. 

"My  Lord  S.itsnma,  is  it  ill  with  yon?"  he 
incjuired  with  solicitnde. 

He  noted  that  the  f.ice  of  S.itsntna  showed 
as  never  l)efore  that  its  master  would  luver 
live  to  see  the  Uesloralion.  This  thought  mad- 
dened him. 

Satsuma,    thouixh    in    some    pain,    .^milcd 

gcntlv. 

"Ill  indeed  it  is  with  me,"  he  said. 

KeiUi  reached  out  and  impulsively  seized 
the  hand  of  the  old  warrior,  pressing  it  with 
sympathy  that  words  could  not  have  expressed. 

"I  may  not  he  with  yon."  coniimied  Sat- 
suma, "on  the  day  »)f  the  haUufu  s  undomt;.  ' 

"  \ay,  do  not  .say  .so." 

"It  is  .so,  nevertheless,"  said  Satsuma.  "I 
nuist  t^o  hefore — ' 

"My  lord,  it  is  hut  the  common  lot— the 
common  hapjtiness  of  life  to  tnve  u]k  to  cea.se 
to  strumile.  V(nn-  achievements  have  been 
many.  This  riHe  by  my  hand,  that  cainion 
in  the  em})rasure,  all  the.se  will  s,>eak  for  you 
with  terrible  effect  ;ilter  you  your.self  are  long 
silent." 


H 


f 


H 


w 


<rSr-. 


K^ 


; — :y 1  '»  1 


^ 


Prince  Kcilu,  it  is  not  for  myself  I  think 
thus  sadly  •  f  life  and  death.  I  have  a 
daiiLrhter.  We  are  on  the  eve  of  war,  the 
ciiunlry  is  unsettled.  I  cannot  leave  her  un- 
protected to  share  its  uncertain  fate." 

"But  surely,"  said  Keiki,  with  a  mild  sur- 
prise, "your  dauuhter  will  1;,.  well  cared  for 
aiMoriLT  her  juaiiy  honorable  rclati<ms. " 

".Mas,  no,  that  is  not  jK^ssible.  Her  step- 
mother is  ill  disiKKsed  towards  her,  and  all 
of  her  brothers  are  pressed  into  the  ImjxTialist 
service." 

"This  is  very  sad."  said  Keiki,  "and  if  it 
,*     were  in  my  ixnver  to  aid  you  I  would  beseech 
you  to  command  me  immediately." 

"  It  is  |)ossible  for  your  highness  to  aid  me," 
said  Satsuma,  slowly. 

"  Mow?  Let  me  know  at  once  how  I  can 
do  .so." 

"  By  i)crmitting  my  in.siffnificant  daughter 
to  have  the  personal  protection  of  so  chival- 
rous a  prince  as  your  excellency." 

"My  ix^r-sonal  p.otecli«»ii!"  exclaimed  Keiki; 
"but  I  am  encased  in  the  work  of  warfare." 

"  True,  but  my  lady  would  not  distract  you 
from  these  tasks.  Her  presence  in  the  fortress 
need  .scarcely  be  felt." 

Keiki  sprang  to  his  feet  and  began  to  pace 
the  a])artment  in  a  jK-rturbed  manner.  Under 
his  thick  brows  old  Satsuma  regarded  him 
keenly. 

"My  lord."  said  Keiki,  stopping  suddenly 


. 


211 


+» 


Ctrkr: 


iX 


*?* 


P 


1^ 


:^ 


^ 


•4- 


in  his  walk,  "your  su^fKcstion  j^ivcs  mc  much 
pain,  because  I  am  unable  to  grant  your  re- 
quest. It  is  quite  imixjssible.  This  is  not 
the  place  for  a  woman." 

Drawing  himself  up  proudly,  Satsuma  re- 
plied, in  a  ruf'led  voice: 

"  \'ery  well,  your  excellency.  You  refuse 
me. 

After  a  moment,  as  Keiki  averted  his  face 
and  did  not  reply,  he  continued: 

"  I  am  an  old  man,  travelling  over  the  last 
stage  of  the  journey  of  life.  I  had  a  natural 
longing  to  have  with  me  in  these  my  last  days 
my  beloved  child.  Hence,  feeling  assured 
that  you  would  not  deny  the  wish  of  a  dying 
father,  I  t(Jok  the  liberty  of  bringing  her  hither 
with  me." 

"  Vou  brought  her  here!"  cried  Keiki,  in 
amazement. 

"  She  is  within,"  said  the  old  Prince,  quietly, 
as  he  indicated  the  interior  ai)artment. 

With  dilTiulty  Keiki  curbed  his  temper. 
Satsuma  had  not  long  to  live.  lie  would  tell 
him  his  secret :  lie  would  bare  to  him  the  source 
of  his  buried  grief.  Thus  his  old  friend  would 
recognize  the  impossibility  of  his  being  brought 
into  contact  with  anj'  woman,  and  jK-rceive 
how  unfitted  he  was  for  the  task  of  protecting 
her. 

So  it  happened  that  while  without  a  storm 
raged,  and  nuny  bla.sts  .struck  sharply  into 
the  faces  oi  the  sentinels  about  the  fortress, 


a: 


r 


H 


'ri 


212 


t^ 


a=S: 


'« 


:5: 


Kciki  related  his  story  to  his  aged  friend. 
Once  during  the  recital  the  shoji  moved,  then 
there  appeared  in  it  two  tiny  holes.  Once 
there  crept  into  the  room,  nnngled  with  the 
tempest  and  the  senlniels'  sharp  cries  without, 
a  muffled  sob. 

"  You  have  passed  through  the  heart  s  nar- 
rowest straits  to  the  mind's  broadest  realm," 
said  old  Satsuma ;  "but  permit  mc  to  still 
insist  that  while  your  highness's  story  has 
touched  me  deeply,  I  cannot  agree  with  you 
that  it  should  Ix-  permitted  to  afTect  the  fate 
of  my  daughter." 

"You  are  right,"  said  Keiki,  gently.  "It 
must  not  do  so." 

"  You  will  allow  her  to  remain  here?" 

"Yes." 

Satsuma  bowed  deeply  and  gratefully. 

"The  camp,"  said  Keiki,  thoughtfully,  "is 
no  place  for  a  won^n,  but  here  in  my  fortress 
she  will  be  safe." 

"  Your  highness,"  said  Satsuma,  with  much 
emotion  in  his  voice,  "  no  words  of  mine  can 
exj^ress  the  thanks  of  a  grateful  heart.  Good- 
night, my  brave  boy ;  the  gods  comfort  and 
bless  you." 

In  the  adjoining  apartment  a  small  figure, 
half  crouching  by  the  dividing  doors,  sprang 
to  its  feet.  A  girl  ran  to  him  with  a  little  cry 
and  threw  her  arms  about  his  neck,  pressing  a 
little,  wet  face  gratefully  against  the  heavily 
limned  one  of  the  old  Prince. 


=3^ 
213 


X 


*■ 


ark-^ 


rm^voo\t^o  op  v;j5iTAR)A 


-^ — 


'r< 


"  It  is  well,"  said  Sntsuiiia,  patting  htr  head. 

"How  can  I  thank  thee?"  she  l)reatlK'(l. 

"By  endeavoring^  to  ieel  as  if  thou  wert 
indeed  my  own  daughter  ni.'^tead  of  a  distant 
relative.  But  conic,  tliou  art  pale,  and  your 
garments  are  soiled  and  torn   wUh  tra\el." 

"The  journey  was  lon^r/'  she  sii^lutl,  glanc- 
ing at  the  frayed  ends  of  her  kimono,  "and 
do  you  kncnv,  my  Lord  Salsuma,'"  she  added, 
"I  could  scarcely  hire  a  runner  to  carry  me, 
because  of  my  unworldly  attire,  and  so  I  was 
compelled  to  make  nuich  of  the  journev  on 
foot." 

Meanwhile  Kciki  sat  alone,  his  hands  clasp- 
ed before  his  eyes.  All  the  bitterness  of  a 
lifetime  welled  within  liis  lj<.>.som.  He  was 
trusted  iilxjve  men;  at  young  years  the  ulol 
of  a  brave  nation;  fate  was  Ix'aring  hnn  u|X)n 
a  wave  of  the  Inghest  destiny  that  could  not 
fail  to  beat  di  ,  n  the  rotten  dikes  of  o})pression. 
Yet  all  this  brought  no  peace,  no  happiness. 
He  realized  in  a  moment  the  futility  of  all  his 
efTorts  to  put  the  soul  of  the  Lady  \\'istaria 
out  of  his  heart.  Only  in  fierce  action  and 
strain  that  should  engross  all  his  faculties 
could  he  even  find  a  tcmiH)rary  easement. 
After  that,  the  gods  pity  him!  After  that, 
he  could  not  live.  There  shv)uld  no  longer  l^e 
any  delay.  There  should  Ix'  war,  and  that 
speedily,  perhaps  on  the  morrow. 


=^ 


i 


^ 


* 


.14 


=3 


T/IE.WOOiisG  Oj^  Vi5TARlA 


HI    OWEVER    fiercely    the    Pri 
I    Reiki    desired    and    sought    1 
ii  instant   action,   there   were  ex- 
1    eel  lent   reasons  in   the  delayed 
march    of    some    of    the    clans 
^^  journeying  to  the  Mori  fortress 

^^MA  1^,  for  the  temporary  jxjstponenie- . 
of  hostilities. 

Keiki    at    first    was    hitterly 

opjK>S(,d   to   any   further   delay, 

'^  but    the   reasonable   argumerls 

of    the   older   daimios   and    the 

-..^  insistence  of  Satsuma,  the  prac- 

^■o^o'  ^i  I  tical    leader   of   the   movement, 

^""^  won    hiin    over.     It    was    their 

logic,  not  their  authority,  which 

restrained   him.     He   would   be 


X, 


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X 


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i 


215 


a 


V 


i 


TO£.WC?0)ISG  Of  Vi5TAPv>A 


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IX 


J, 


-IL, 


compelled  to  wail  no  lonper  than  a  Kw  days 
more,  certainly  not  more  than  a  week. 

One  morning  sh«)rtly  after  Reiki's  mterview 
with  the  Lord  Satsuma  concerning  his  reputed 
daughter,  who  so  far  had  kept  apart  m  strict 
retirement  in  her  ajxirtments  in  the  castle, 
Keiki  found  in  his  morning  reports  a  reference 
to  the  youth  Toro.  lie  was  riding  i)ost-hastc 
in  the  direction  of  the  Choshui  i)rovince  with 
the  evident  nitention  of  crossing  its  frontier. 
What  was  the  will  of  his  excellency  respect- 
ing him? 

So  this,  then,  was  the  way  in  which  the  rash 
youth  repaid  his  consideration,  mused  Keiki. 
Or  i)erha])S  he  came  Ix-cause  of  the  Princess 
Hollyhock.  If  tliat  were  so,  he  would  send 
him  back  to  Catzu  again,  with  a  friendly 
warning  against  the  perfidious  sex. 

"He  approaches  the  frontier?"  he  asked 
the  soldier  who  brought  the  rejx^rts. 

"Yes,  your  highness." 

"  Well  then,  let  him  ride  unmolested  towards 
our  fortress.  So  long  as  he  advances  do  nd 
touch  him,  but  at  the  first  sign  of  his  return 
seize  him  and  bring  him  to  me." 

The  soldier  bowed. 

"It  shall  be  as  your  highness  commands." 

So  it  was  that  Toro,  to  his  surprise,  was 
allowed  to  proceed  unharmed  through  th>e 
hostile  country  of  the  Mori.  His  journey  was 
without  incident  until  his  arrival  before  the 
fortress.     There  a  guard  barred  farther  prog- 


a — ~- 


X 


r 


2l6 


^^si^ 


Cti-rj,  nrzra T  F Xl 


ij 


(^ 


4 


ress  wilh  his  sword.     Toro  flung  himself  from 
his  panting  charger. 

"The  Prince  Mori?"  he  questioned. 
"  I->.Ti)ects  you  and  will  give  you  audience 
shortly,"  returned  the  guard. 

Ihe  young  heir  of  Cat^u  was  conducted  to 
a  chamber  within  the  outer  circle  of  the  for- 
tress's defensive  works.  While  this  chamber 
was  not  within  the  inmost  area  of  the  edifice 
devoted  to  the  living  apartments,  yet  it  was 
sufliciently  near  for  the  occasional  i)assage 
of  some  peaceable  member  of  th».'  household 
through  the  grimmer  servants  of  war  to  oc- 
casion no  comment.  Moreover,  it  adjoined  the 
af)artments  set  aside  for  the  Prince  of  Satsuma. 

Thus  when  the  daughter  of  Sat.suma  chanced 
to  pass  through  the  chamber,  none  showed  sur- 
prise until  the  youthful  Toro  came.  His  as- 
tonishment, however,  was  such  that  instantly 
his  mouth  gajted  wide.  Before  sound  could 
add  its  audible  testimony  to  his  visible  aston- 
ishment, the  girl  had  clapped  her  hand  upon 
his  lips.  A  quick  glance  about  the  cham- 
ber told  her  that  they  were  unobserved.  She 
took  Toro  gently  by  the  shoulder. 

"Come,"  she  said. 

Half  an  hour  later  the  old  Lord  Satsuma 
stood  before  Keiki  in  ah.rm. 

"My  daughter  is  not  to  be  found,"  he  cried. 

"Not  to  be  found!" 

"  No,  my  lord.  I  committed  her  to  thy  care. 
Thou  didst  promise  to  guard  her." 


—  .T^ 
217 


X 


^ 


I 


c^ 


^- 


TMMJOOit^O  of?  \s;iSTAR)A 


r^ 


'^^S=^ 


C=l^ 


Kciki  was  troubled.  I  lis  cotisciciuc  smote 
him,  for  ho  had  p;MiifuIly  i)ut  off  makinir  the 
acquaintance  of  Satsunia's  dauirhtcr  and  had 
left  her  to  the  care  of  his  undeHinus. 

"My  lord,"  he  said.  "I  will  liave  search 
made  at  once.  Vour  honoraMc  daruhler  uuisl 
be  found." 

Satsunia,  in  deep  aj.,Mtation  and  concern,  left 
his  jHipil's  apartment  to  make  further  iiKpury 
of  liie  ^niard.  He  had  advanced  but  a  little 
way  into  one  of  the  armed  outer  chambers 
of  the  f(jrtress  when  a  note  was  slii>i>ed  into 
his  hand.  He  tore  it  oi»eti  and  read  it  through 
in  amazement.  After  a  .second  readmi,^  a 
broad  snule  oversjjread  his  face.  He  sought 
no  more  for  his  dauf,fhler.  Instead,  he  de- 
spatched a  hurried  note  to  Keiki,  briefly  in- 
formint;  him  that  his  insi^nuficant  and  un- 
worthy dautrhter  had  become  ill  with  lont;- 
inff  for  her  home,  and  had  dej^arted  thence 
on  her  own  account.  As  she  was  very  efii- 
ciently  attended,  he  had  no  fears  for  her 
safety. 

Meanwhile  Keiki  was  holding  audience  with 
Catzu  Toro. 

"This,  then,"  he  said,  .severely,  "is  the 
pratitude  of  the  Catzu  for  nie.  I  liave  spared 
your  life,  twice  forfeit  to  me  by  every  law  of 
lord  and  samurai.  Vou  have  come  back,  it 
seems,  and  are  determined  to  make  fresh 
trouble  for  yourself." 

Keiki  paused.     Toro  answered,  quickly: 

I 31= 


H 


f^ 


.a^ 


c 


'^ 


^ 


4 


"I  have  come  back  to  you,  your  hi^ihness, 
to  offer  my  alleLriance  and  my  service." 
"  Your  allcKnancc!" 

"My  ix)or  aid,  rather,  to  a  cause  of  whose 
nol)dity  I  learned  during  my  slay  in  vour 
province.  Sovereignty  is  not  with  the  Sho- 
pun,  but  the  Kmperor.  Place  the  nehtful 
ruler  uikmi  the  throne,  oust  the  usuri)er  and 
tyrant,  and  tire  riglits  of  the  jk-oi^Ic  will  be 
listened  to." 

"Who  taught  you  these  counsels?" 
"My  own  conscience,  my  lord." 
Keiki  snulcd. 

"Are  you  quite  certain,  Tore,  you  did  not 
read  your  new  principles  in  a  lady's  eyes?" 
he  asked,  dryly. 
Tore  blushed. 

"  The  Princess  Hollyhock  appears  to  have 
been  a  teacher  of  some  weight,"  said  Keiki. 
Toro  cried,  wannly : 

"My  lord,  you  do  me  injustice.  I  love  the 
Princess  Hollyhock,  it  is  true— I  confess  it. 
But  what  my  honor  dictates,  what  my  con- 
science has  seen,  has  naught  to  do  with  the 
Princess."  Ingenuously:  " 'Tis,  my  lord,  I 
do  protest,  but  a  hi.,.py  coincidence  that  her 
views  are  mine.  Were  it  otherwise,  though 
tears  did  blind  my  eyes,  I  should  perceive  the 
right  way;  though  sorrow  choked  my  voice, 
I  still  would  crv,  'Daigi  Meibunor!'" 

Toro  dropped   to   his   knees,   his   extrava- 
gance of  expression  seeming  not  to  have  af- 


219 


af-     u 


— ^         u 


3p 


^2=3 


fectcxl  his  sincerity.  Kciki  put  out  a  quick 
hand  to  raise  him.  hi  a  voice  of  deej)  emotion 
he  ':ri-d    i!ni)ulsively : 

"Tr  r-  iny  brother,  I  wronged  you.  Now  I 
make  amend  and  receive  you  into  our  service. 
My  heart  wis  bitter  because  of  my  own  sorrow, 
but  it  stdl  has  generosity  left  for  you,  friend 
of  my  hopes.  Vou  are  of  the  days  of  flowers. 
Now,  after  the  flowers  have  withered,  I  still 
receive  you." 

"The  flowers  have  not  withered,"  said 
Toro,  imindsively.  "  Do  listen  to  me.  Per- 
chance— "  He  broke  off  in  sotne  confusion, 
as  by  some  sudden  remembrance. 

"Sjx^ak  no  more,  I  pray  thee,"  said  Keiki, 
commandinj.,dy. 

"Forj^nve  me.  I  would  si)cak  of  my  grati- 
tude to  you." 

'Toro,  I  will  place  you  in  command  of  a 
sm^.U  company.  At  first  I  could  not  do  more 
witl.ou*  antaujonizincj  some  of  my  i>eople. 
They  v.-ould  say  that  your  adherence  was  too 
recent." 

Toro  replied ; 

"  I  do  not  seek  that  honor.  I  ask  a  humbler 
station." 

"  Vou  shall  be  ujion  my  personal  staff  for 
the  present,"  was  Reiki's  resj)onse.  "  Later,  as 
occasion  uders,  I  will  honorably  advance  you." 

Keiki  now  rose.  liowin^  to  Toro,  he  sig- 
nified that  the  interview  was  at  an  end.  Still 
Toro  hesitated. 


X 


^ 


220 


t 


r3 


-4 


i 


rmMJOOitiO  op  v;iSTAR)A 


3: 


221 


TTT 


* 


? 


"You  wish  to  have  further  talk  with  iiic''" 
inquired   Keiki. 

"I  crave  pardon,"  said  Toro,  somewhat  em- 
barrassed, "but — " 

He  went  towards  the  doors  into  the  adjoin- 
ing apartment  and  siirnalled  to  sotne  one  with- 
in. A  youth  entered  quietly.  He  was  slight, 
yet  of  a  grace  that  owed  its  being  equally  to 
his  exquisite  proj)ortions  and  to  his  entire 
command  of  his  physical  being  and  comiK)rt- 
nicnt.  A  youth's  fringe  hid  his  fcjrehead. 
His  eyes,  cast  down,  were  veiled  from  Keiki. 
He  did  not  wear  the  armor  of  Toro  or  Keiki, 
but  carried  under  his  arm  a  small  encased 
sword,  which  he  handled  easily. 

"My  lord,"  said  Toro,  "I  have,  as  you 
see,  been  able  to  make  a  recruit.  He  was 
to  be  my  personal  follower,  but  since  I  am 
to  serve  on  vour  staff  I  ha\e  no  need  of 
him." 

"I  am  not  an  exquisite.  I  do  not  need  a 
little  man  to  follow  at  my  heels,"  said  Keiki, 
surveying  with  disapproval  the  daintj*  lines 
of  the  little  warrior. 

lie  unwelcome  visitor  flushed  to  his  ears. 
Toro  glanced  at  him  with  what  seemed  a 
susfHcion  of  humor.  The  youth,  seemingly 
infuriated,  whipixxl  out  his  sword. 

A  sudden  suspicion  of  treachery  came  to 
Keiki  as  he  brought  his  hand  to  his  own 
heavy  blade  and  jmt  it  at  guard.  But  the 
thought  of  the  youth  attacking  him  seemed 


H 


t 


4 


7( 


4 


to  amuse  him  also,  so  that  he  took  no  trouble 
to  defend   himself. 

Terhaits,  loo,  it  was  hecanseof  his  astonish- 
ment, and  the  hea\ mess  of  his  blade,  and  not 
because  of  lack  of  skill,  that  the  tiny  blade  of 
the  youth  slipi>ed  down  Reiki's  uuard,  and, 
leaving  the  line  of  defence,  souuht,  cut,  and 
carried  away  a  rosette  from  the  cuirass  of  the 
Prince.  Plucking  it  from  his  blade,  the  youth 
thrust  the  ro.sette  into  his  breast,  while  on  his 
knees  he  offered  his  sword  to  Keiki  with  its 
jKtint  directed  towards  his  own  breast. 

Keiki  made  a  motion  of  suri)ri.se.  The  youth 
had  answered,  and  worthily,  his  taunt.  Ihtt  his 
life  huim  u|Min  the  generosity  of  the  Prince. 
Toro  saw  that  here  was  a  test  of  the  soul  of 
Keiki. 

The    Shining    Prince    laughed    loud    and 

long. 

"(u)od!  I  receive  thee  -t  once  into  my 
service.     Thy  name?" 

"Jiro,  my  lord,"  half  whispercxl  the  youth 
from  his  kneeling  i)osition. 

"Well,  Jiro,  just  now  you  held  my  life  in 
your  hands.  For  the  sake  of  a  worthy  cause 
i  thank  you  for  sjiaring  me.  A  thrust  in  the 
loosened  corsage  below  that  rosette  would  have 
done  for  me." 

Jiro  rose  to  his  feet,  but  remained  with  his 
head  resi)octfully  bowed  before  the  Prince. 

Toro  clap[Kxl  him  on  his  slight  shoulder. 

"In  the  days  soon  to  come,  when  your  life 


SC 


3E: 


3C= 


f=» 


crrk— >T  -        ^F 1  r rn: 


-Rr2 


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W 


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223 


4 


w 


is  soufxlit  by  the  f(H.'.s  of  the  cause,  my  lord, 
Jiru  aiul  I  will  prutctl  you." 

When  Torn,  llushc<l  with  his  straiitje  suc- 
cess, soui^rht  the  Lady  Hollyhock,  he  found 
her  wholly  uiircs|Miiisive. 

"In  faith,  itiy  lurd,"  she  said,  inockini^ly, 
"it  was  ni>t  ri^ht  for  you,  a  Cat/.u  lord,  to  ride 
through  the  oiitiM)sts  of  your  hereditary  enemy, 
simply  for  a  uliiiijise  oi  an  unwortliy  and  in- 
siuiulicant  maiden." 

"  Xay — "  remonstrated  Toro. 

"To  abandon  \-our  father's  house  and  hofx^s 
for  a  ^irl — that  is  not  what  tlie  daughters  of 
Xipon  are  tauuht. " 

"My  dearest  lady—" 

"To  follow  one's  conscience  were  an  honor, 
but  to  forget  all  blindly,  to  betray  your  cause, 
to  betray  your  house  to  win  a  wife.  Think 
you  she  would  have  you  after  such  f)crfidy? 
She  would  not  be  worth  pos.sessing  did  she 
favor  you  then." 

One  little,  unfeeling  hand  Toro  carried  to  his 
heart. 

"Dear  ladv,"  he  said,  "I  did  not  do  it  for 
thee." 

The  Ladv  Hollyhock  frowned,  and  withdrew 
her  hand  immediately. 

"  Vou  did  not?"  she  exclaimed. 

"  Xay,  dear  lady.  I  did  it  because  of  my 
con."^cience,  because  I  believe  in  the  Emperor, 
and  not  the  Shogun." 

The  Princess  turned  her  back  uix)n  hitn. 


H 


If 


:  In ^t -1 ^        ^^^ 


4 


"  Vou  are  arii,'ry,  sweet  ludy?"  interroijated 
the  a^'itated  'loru. 

\o  re|)ly. 

"  Lady,  you  were  angr>'  with  mc  when  you 
tliou^ht  I  did  it  for  you,  and  now  when  you 
know  I  did  not  you  are  still  anf^ry." 

"A  ])riiices.s  iiuist  have  :icr  brave  knight," 
said  the  Lady  Ilollyhoclc,  haughtily. 

"  Vou  know  why  I  did  it,"  said  Toro,  ready 
to  forswear  everythincj  at  her  demand. 

A^ain  he  sought  her  hand,  but  stdl  she 
denied  him. 

"Oh,  not  so  fast,  my  lord.  Let  mc  whisper 
to  you  a  reiKirt  I  have  heard." 

"  A  rei)ort — concerning  me?"  said  Toro,  in 
bewilderment. 

"Concerninc  a  certain  Catzu  gentleman  who 
recently  awaited  an  audience  with  the  Prince 
Mori.  He  was  ])laced  in  a  certain  interior 
chamber,  which  hapix;ned  to  adjoin  the  apart- 
ments of  the  daughter  of  a  certain  prince  of 
prominence.  This  Catzu  gentleman,  it  is 
said,  di-sapi^eared  into  this  lady's  private 
apartments.  Since  which  time  the  lady 
has  been  banished  to  Satsunia  by  her  own 
father." 

"Lady,"  said  Toro,  in  a  great  state  of 
mingled  fear  and  bewilderment,  "  I  pray  thee 
rejK'at  not  such  a  story,  even  to  the  flowers." 
With  a  scornful  and  angry  little  laugh, 
the  Lady  Hollyhock-,  who  had  inwardly  hoi)ed 
for  a  denial  by  her  lover,  stepped  away. 

i  1    ^ — : 


fr 


^ 


X 


2-24 


=r* 


■^ 


"■I 


^ 


:5-^ 


"  I  am  not  lilaly,"  she  said,  "to  tell  of  my 
own  supplantinj,'. " 

She  drew  the  d(H)r.s  sharply  between  them. 

'lOro,  alone,  mused  u|K)n  the  imputati<ni  of 
her  words. 

"She  is  mine  if  I  tell  her  a  .secret,"  he  said, 
"hut  that  secret  is  not  my  own;  I  cannot  tell 
itl"  lie  added,  with  a  naive  wi.sdom :  "  \or 
can  I  trust  her.  A  woman  is  like  unto  a  vol- 
cano, which,  even  when  inactive,  is  pal{)i*atin>^ 
to  spit  forth  its  fire,  and  which,  when  it  does 
vent  its  fury,  hursts  the  bounds  of  its  late  en- 
forced supprcsMou. " 


TJIE.VOOIINC  or  N«;JSTAR)A 


^ 


SMALL  portion  of  the  night 
had  been  .si)cnt  by  the  Prince  in 
that  sleep,  troubled  by  nervous 
starts  and  awakenings,  which 
was  now  his  onh'  repose,  when 
there  Wtis  a  sound  of  disorder 
^  in  the  great  enclosure  without 
]  the  fortress.  The  challenging 
of  sentinels,  the  rattle  of  arms, 
the  gallop  of  a  considerable 
body  of  horse,  came  to  him 
plainly  within  the  palace  in- 
terior. 

Hastily  Keiki  passed  through 
y  the  castle  apartments  to  a  para- 
pet high  above  the  area  of  the 
enclosure.      Leaning  against  a 


226 


X 


Gz 


5 


3E 


T-^:^:: ^ 


36: 


C 


* 


P 


cannon,  he  sought  atnonjjj  the  shadows  for  the 
cause  of  the  disturbance.  If  he  had  any  fears 
as  to  the  state  of  his  defences,  none  apjjeared 
in  his  face,  now  grown  inijuissive  ahuost  to 
the  point  of  apathj-. 

Gradually,  as  his  eyes  became  accustomed 
to  the  semi-darkness  of  the  enclosure,  he  saw 
that  his  followers  were  receiving  an  accession 
of  fresh  troojjs,  many  of  whom  were  mounted. 
Quarters  for  the  rest  of  the  night  were  being 
made  ready  for  the  new-comers.  Plaiidy,  it  was 
the  arrival  of  some  of  the  long-exi)ected  clans. 

With  the  knowledge  that  a  rept^rt  would  be 
made  presently,  for  such  was  his  standing 
order  by  day  or  by  night,  Keiki  returned  to  his 
apartments,  seeking,  after  a  few  further  pre|>- 
arations,  the  chamber  in  which  he  was  ac- 
customed to  receive  guests. 

S(x)n  a  number  of  his  jH-'ople,  among  them 
Toro  and  the  boy  Jiro,  ushered  ni  his  cousin, 
the  cadet  Lord  of  Xagato.  Scarcely  had  he 
announced  the  numl)er  and  strength  of  the 
clans  he  had  gathered  iibout  him,  when  he 
burst  out: 

"Strange  news,  your  highness!" 

"Sf)cak,"  said  Keiki,  briefly. 

"  With  these  eyes  have  I  seen  it.  Ill  augurs 
it  for  our  hand  and  cause." 

"Speak,"  said  Keiki,  imjiatiently. 

"My  lord,  I  have  just  coi'^c  from  Yedo, 
whither  I  went  alone  in  di.sguise,  joining  my 
men  only  ycster  morn." 

~  ■  ■   Ju —         ifc-  ^^ —      T"  *C- 

227 


ii 


'A 


Ctzi: 


»■ 


^ 


fe 


^ — t- 


"My  lord,"  said  the  impatient  Keiki,  "i)ray 
remember  that  the  hour  is  late.  All  thiuj^rs 
wait  ui)on  your  utterance.  Tell  me  in  a  breath 
what  is  your  njws.  What  did  vou  see  in 
Vedo?" 

"Foreign  ships -of -war  sailing  up  the 
harbor." 

"What  wa."«  their  purpo.sc?" 

"They  demand  the  ojK'ning  of  our  ports, 
closed  for  two  hundied  vears,  to  the  trade  of 
the  world." 

KeiUi  reflected. 

"It  is  evil — this  complication  with  forei},^n 
peo[)les  at  this  time,"  he  said.  "  But  proceed, 
my  lord." 

The  other  continued: 

"  Four  foreign  shijKS-of-war  arc  now  in  Yedo 
Bay.  They  are  American.  They  are  in  much 
doubt  as  to  who  is  the  ruler  of  the  country. 
The  Shogun  fyesada  has  assured  them  that 
he  reign.s  supreme.  Treaties  are  now  being 
negotiated.  The  Shogun  has  taken  it  u[jon 
hmiself  to  change  the  policy  of  our  country 
without  reference  to  the  Son  of  Heaven"  (the 
Mikado). 

"This  is  treason,"  cried  Keiki.  "We  must 
march  again.st  the  Shogun  at  once." 

"  Nay,  my  lord,  permit  an  in.significant 
va.ssal  to  suggest  that  our  country  must  i)re- 
sent  at  this  critical  jur.cture  an  undivided  front 
against  the  foreigner.  It  may  be  that  the 
Shogun  in  his  weakness  before  the  foreigner 


22& 


-^y-f. 


Qz^: 


H 


A 


k 


-# 


r       -3:  ;t 


3: 


-r:^ 


but  temporizes  in  his  presencf».  The  foreij^ncr 
must  be  exjX'Ued,  and,  after  that,  the  Shugun 
dealt  with." 

"  Vou  are  right,  my  lord.  I  congratulate 
you  upon  j'our  wisdom  and  foresight,  and 
beg  that  you  will  now  retire  to  rest." 

"  Ma\'  I  inquire  whether  you  puriK)se  t.iking 
any  action,  your  highne.ss?"  inquired  Nagato. 

"I  am  decided,"  said  Keiki.  "  In  the  morn- 
ing I  shall  set  out  for  Vedo,  whatever  the  ijeril. 
I  must  make  observations." 

Long  afier  the  others  had  retired,  Keiki  tried 
to  review  clearly  the  train  of  events  that  had 
led  up  to  this  occurrence.  He  must  decide 
upon  his  course.  In  spite  of  the  Euroix.*an 
knowledge  transferred  to  him  by  the  Lord  of 
Siitsuma,  the  very  term  "foreigner"  sent  a 
vague  thrill  of  unknown  terror  to  his  soul. 
He  had  been  told  of  their  arms  and  other 
methods  of  warfare,  many  of  their  secrets 
were  his.  He  had,  if  not  their  armaments,  at 
least  fair  imitations — gunpowder,  cannon,  and 
rifles.  Yet  in  spite  of  all  this,  an  emotion 
that  was  not  fear,  not  cowardice,  made  its  way 
subtly  to  his  heart.  These  foreigners  stood 
for  a  strange  civilization  which,  despite  his 
vaguely  derived  knowledge,  might  yet  include 
greater  destructive  agencies. 

Then  who  could  clearly  see  beyond  their 
diplomacy?  They  might  come  simj)ly,  as  they 
said,  to  demand  ojx^n  ports.  Hut  their  own 
history  showed  that  such  things  had  been  the 

rk         I      — a 


x: 


229 


IP 


P 


'o 


forerunners  of  wars  of  afTgression,  wars  for 
the  acquisition  of  territory.  No  man  niij,rht 
know  what  the  extent  cf  the  hitter  demanded. 
They  were  a  distinct  i)CTil  to  the  whole  of  Dai 
-\iI)IK)n.  Vet  what  was  to  be  done  with  rej^jard 
to  the  shotruiiate?  lyesada  was  deahng  with 
these  foreitrners,  makiiiLT  treaties,  without  the 
•sanction  of  his  imperial  master,  the  Ahkado. 
If,  on  the  other  hand,  Keiki  should  move  with 
all  his  forces  ajrainst  the  Shot^aui,  would  not 
the  f(«reit,r,KTs,  takint;  advanta^,re  of  civil  war, 
better  their  mysterious  i)osition  and  gain 
whatever  object  they  miLrht  have  in  view? 

N(\  it  seemed  clear  t(j  Keiki  that,  unless 
something  unforeseen  intervened,  every  energy 
must  be  made  by  a  united  country  to  "keep  out 
tne  foreign  ]x)wers.  When  this  was  definite- 
ly accomplished  the  Ahkado's  reign  would  be 
established  with  little  delay  before  the  foreign- 
ers could  recover. 

This  was  the  final  and  definite  conclusion 
reached  by  Keiki.  He  saw  a  certain  advan- 
tage in  the  arrival  of  the  foreign  ships-of-war, 
pro\ided  they  came  i  n  good  fai  th.  They  would 
serve  to  distract  attention  from  the  aroused  and 
armed  state  in  which  the  soutliern  provinces 
now  were,  to  which  they  had  been  brought 
under  his  direction. 

"I  will  go  to  Vedo  at  sunrise,"  he  told  him- 
self. 

Mis  temy)les  were  throl)])ing  painfully,  the 
result  of  long  nights  without  sleep,  of  'long 

~i  ->  1  ^ 


^ 


♦ 


230 


n     rm  .WOOjj>iG  Qf  \yiSTARJA 


C-itz2 


3: 


days  of  iliou^ht  and  care.  lie  si(i;hed  and 
1^    drew  his  hand  across  his  brow. 

"My  lord  is  ill?" 

He  started  at  the  voice.  Ii  had  a  vaguely 
familiar  sound.  The  ynuncr  boy,  Jiro,  had 
started  towards  him  a  pace,  and  then  had  re- 
treated backward,  as  though  overcome  by  his 
temerity. 

"My" lord  is  ill?" 

"An  insignificant  pain  in  the  brow,"  said 
the  Prince. 

The  boy  slipped  liehind  the  Prince  softly 
and  fell  upon  one  knee. 

"Dear  lord,  will  you  not  permit  me  to  relieve 
the  pain  of  your  august  brow?" 

The  Prince  stirred  uneasily.  Again  the 
strange  quality  of  the  boy's  voice  touched  .some 
hidden  spring  of  memory.  Taking  his  silence 
as  consent,  the  boy  laid  a  soft,  cool  hand  on 
either  side  of  Keiki's  ten)i)les,  i)ressing  them 
with  hi.s  finger-tips.  The  action,  the  touch, 
recalled  in  an  instant  a  memory  that  was  bet- 
ter .sleei)ing.  It  was  thus  the  Lady  Wistaria 
had  been  wont  to  woo  away  the  jxiin  that  beset 
his  brow  when  he  had  Iain  ill  in  her  father's 
house. 

Suddenly  the  Prince  clasixd  h: :;  hands  over 
tho.se  on  his  brow.  (Gradually  he  was  drawing 
Jiro  to  a  position  facing  him,  when,  eluding 
the  Prince's  grasp,  Jiro  sank  to  the  floor  and 
laid  his  head  at  Keiki's  feet. 

"Oh,  my  lord,  I  beseech  you  not  to  be  an- 

^^ ^—  •»  --«'  1  4- 


f- 


fe 


%i 


231 


4 


3 


^ —        1  >r 


gry  with  iiic  for  my  furwardncss.  It  was  my 
solicitude  for  your  i)ain — " 

"Nay,  rise, "said  the  Prince,  gently.  "Pray 
do  not  confound  me  with  aiK)lofries." 

With  his  head  still  droojnnj,',  the  boy  re- 
treated towards  the  door. 

The  Prince  smiled  at  the  fear  apparent  in 
Jiro's  demeanor. 

"  Vou  have  done  me  no  ill,"  he  .said,  kindly; 
"you  have  actually  soothed  away  the  pain.  I 
thank  you." 


^ 


T 


=3C: 
232 


f 

riz:3 


'« 


PON  his  arrival  in  Yedo,  Keiki 
made  use  of  every  precaution 
hus  ingenuity  could  devise,  that 
tlie  Iniixjrialists  nu/^hl  not  dis- 
cover his  presence  in  the  capital 
of  the  iShoj^^un's  fjovernnient. 
His  ajjproach  to  the  city  had 
been  attended  only  hy  Toro  and 
Jiro,  but  during  the  last  stage 
of  the  journey  the  three  had 
%"}  ^^P^''^^^"^'  entering  the  city  from 
;g  opposite  directions  to  meet  in  an 
isolated  quarter  near  the  water- 
front. Here  the  Imjx.'rialist  par- 
ty found  it  advantageous  to 
maintain  a  small  establishment 
whose  squalid  exterior  gave  no 


22i 


=11: 


=iFJ 


«=E 


-  ~^  ^ jEzziziirr- 


i 


promise  of  the  comparative  comfort  to  be  en- 
j'H-ed  hcyond  the  threshold  by  those  in  posses- 
sion of  the  pass-word. 

From  tliis  house  the  movements  and  plans 
the  thoughts  even,  of  the  shopunate  govern- 
ment in  Its  own   Vedo  capital  were  observed 
and  rep(i!ted  to  those  seeking  the  return  of 
rightful    sovereijrnty    to    the   Alikado   in    his 
Kioto  capital.     Here  at  all  hours  of  the  night 
-ame   men   in    mean    dress,    whose   bearing 
though  consciously  abased   to   that  of  mer- 
chants  or  laborers,  was   unmistakably    that 
of   the   noble:    here   came  strange,  imlKTious 
young  men  who  might  iK)se  as  water-carriers, 
but  whose  hands  sought  an  imaginary  sword- 
belt  at  the  least  obstacle,  and  slight  youths 
whose   loose    garments    too    fxxirly   hid    the 
curves  of  feminine  figures.     Of  late  the  ac- 
tivity and  the  going  to  and  fro  of  the.se  per- 
sons   had   increased,  but   apparently  without 
exciting   the  attention   of  the  municipal  au- 
thorities. 

Although  the  young  Prince  of  Mori  had  em- 
ployed all  artifice  in  gaining  the  Yedo  head- 
quarters of  his  r)arty,  yet  he  was  surpri.sed  to 
note  that  his  person  attracted  .scarcely  any 
attention.  His  po.sition  of  peril,  and  his  natu- 
rally ob-scrvant  mind,  on  guard  to  catch  the 
shghtest  suspicious  augury,  would  have  led 
him  to  exaggerate  any  aprkirentiv  hostile 
glance.  Everywhere,  the  sole  topic  was  of 
the  f.^reigners,  their  strange   behavior,  their 


234 


.  ff    THE  -Voojrio  or  VISTARIA     n 


^=r= 


stated  purposes,  their  mysterious  ways,  and 
their  utter  indifference  to  all  JajKinese  usaj^'e. 
When  Keiki  had  been  greeted  by  his  fellow- 
Imperiahsts,  and  he  had  described  to  them 
the  state  of  his  southern  resources,  they  in 
turn  gave  him  sucli  information  as  they  had 
concerning  the  foreigners,  whose  arrival  had 
obscured  the  future  of  their  ojK^rations  against 
the  shogunate.  The  I^rince  of  I=:chizen,  tem- 
I)orarily  in  charge  of  the  headquarters,  re- 
ported in  detail  to  his  military  superior  the 
events  which  he  had  not  yet  described  in  his 
regular  despatches  to  the  head  of  the  Mori 
family. 

"I  was  unable,  my  lord,  to  send  you  further 
news,"  he  said,  "beyond  the  mere  verbal  re- 
port communicated  by  the  Lord  of  Xagato 
before  your  departure." 

The  foreigners,  he  went  on  to  say,  had  been 
on  the  coast  some  days  now.  They  had  first 
appeared  in  the  bay  of  Yedo. 

"Why  were  they  not  sent  to  Nagasaki?" 
demanded  Keiki.  "They  should  have  been 
told  that  all  foreign  affairs  are  administered 
from  that  port." 

"Ah,"  returned  Echizen,  "they  are  dealing 
wiih  the  bakufu,  not  the  Emperor." 

"Proceed,  I  beg  you." 

"  When  first  they  came  upon  the  coast  they 
announced  to  the  Governor  of  Niaga  that 
they  bore  letters  and  presents  from  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  of  America ;  that  they 


X 


-^03 


■.^-! 


^^ 


i 

i. 


^ 


must  deliver  tlictn  to  tlic  ICiiifvror  in  |KM-.son, 
or  to  a  hitch  oflicial  apiM)iiUc<l  fc  r  that  purixxsc. 
They  were  told  by  the  shotrunaie,  which  look 
upon  itself  the  rij^dit  of  dealiiii,'  with  mailers 
intended  for  our  ICmiHjror,  to  ^o  to  Xa^asald. 
They  replied  by  movinj^  nearer  up  the  bay 
to  Vedo,  which  they  took  to  be  the  Kmix-Tor's 
cajjital. 

"They  have  sent  out  parties  in  boats  to 
take  sour  'inj^s  in  the  bay,  despite  the  (Gov- 
ernor's [)i.»tests,  and  each  hour  brinies  them 
nearer  to  Vedcj.  This  frightened  the  sho- 
^'unate,  which  linally  set  a  day  for  landiiitj. 
To-morrow,  near  the  fishiiii,'  village  of  Yoko- 
hama, they  are  to  land  and  present  their  let- 
ters to  commissioners  apiH)inte(l  ijy  the  vShoicun 
to  receive  them.     They  will  await  a  reply." 

"What  is  their  nature  and  strength?"  de- 
manded Keiki. 

"They  are  four  ships -of- war.  Thej'  are 
Americans,  and  in  command  of  a  high  Lord 
Perry." 

"But  why  do  they  deal  with  the  Shogun?" 

The  Prince  of  Echizen  replied : 

"  They  are  ignorant  of  our  true  internal  con- 
dition. They  do  not  know  that  we  have  one 
true  Rmix^ror,  a  shadow  of  ix)wer,  and  a  war 
lord,  a  Shogun,  who  rules  for  hini.self.  The.se 
Americans  arc  of  the  opinion  that  they  are 
treating  with  the  Mikado,  with  the  Kiiii)eror 
of  Japan.  Their  letters  and  credentials  are 
inscribed  to  the  Emi)eror  of  Japan." 

^         -1.  ^~      1         r 


^ 


^ 


i 


2?6 


IP 


7 


Kciki  reflected  u{X)n  what  Echizcn  had  told 
him.  The  iialioiial  situatioti  was  rapidly  hc- 
cciiiint,'  .strained.  If  the  furei fliers  .should  be 
driven  fn»m  the  country,  well  and  j,'o*xl;  but 
It  wa.s  now  no  time  to  attack  the  shof,'unate, 
which  mu.st  be  a.s  eml)arra.s:sed  as  its  opjx> 
nent  over  the  advent  of  the  Americans.  In 
all  event.s,  the  only  present  jH)!i«y  wa.s  delay. 
The  shoj;unate  might  be  destroyed  by  the 
foreigners,  yet — 

A  sudden  determination  came  to  Keiki.  He 
must  know  the  attitude  of  the  Shoitiun,  even 
at  risk  to  hnnself.  He  turned  to  the  future 
I>remier. 

"  Vour  hii,rhncss,"  he  asked,  "can  you  pro- 
cure f..r  me  a  uiuform  of  the  household  of 
lye.sada?" 

"What!  the  Shogun?" 

"Ve.s." 

"Ce'tainly.  In  fact,  one  of  our  clan,  who 
is  secretly  in  sympathy  with  us,  is  a  member 
of  the  Shogun's  hou.sehold  and  stands  close 
to  his  august  jx^rson.  Vou  may  jjass  for  the 
Lord  Sakura." 

Keiki,  wrapped  in  a  long  cloak,  stood  near 
the  entrance  of  the  house  pwjiiting  some  favor- 
able moment,  when  the  si  cet  should  be  clear 
of  pas.sers-by,  to  slip  out  into  the  night.  As 
he  was  about  to  make  a  sudden  spring  to 
gain  the  street  a  hand  clutched  the  hem  of 
his  cloak.  The  boy  Jiro  was  restraining 
him. 


2i7 


} 


n 


7* 


C=^ 


rue  .VOOiJSG  Of  ViSTAR)A 

F ^^^^ ^< -^         =^^ 


k' 


s 


"Cio  not  out  alone,  my  lord,"  he  entreated. 

KciUi  frowned  imiKiticntly. 

"One  would  think  I  were  about  to  encounter 
dani^er.  I  j^o  but  to  observe.  There  is  no 
danger,"  he  said,  sharply. 

The  treniblini,'  hand  of  the  boy  Jiro  tore  wide 
the  cloak. 

"  This  uniform,  my  lord.     It  is  of  the  Sho — " 

Keiki,  feelitiL;  a  panuj  of  sorro.v  at  hurting 
the  boy,  but  delernuned  uiK)n  his  mission,  did 
not  defer  action  lonjr.  At  any  moment,  the 
street  coi.i,iaratively  quiet,  might  be  fdled  with 
wayfarers.  lie  pushed  Jiro  gently  but  in- 
sistently from  him  and  went  out  into  the  city. 

At  first  he  Icept  to  the  side  streets,  travers- 
ing much  u.seless  distance,  but  directing  his 
general  course  towards  the  palace  of  the  Sh<v 
gun.  Once  or  twice  he  thought  him.self  fol- 
lowed, but,  retracing  his  steps,  came  uixin 
no  pursuer.  I'inally  he  came  to  the  ave- 
nues, where  further  concealment  were  fruit- 
less and  would  only  invite  suspicion.  In 
tlie.se  thoroughfares,  therefore,  he  flung  hack 
his  cloak,  jx-rmitting  liberal  glimpses  of  his 
bakufu  uniform. 

He  found  still  the  utmost  indifference  per- 
vading the  city  concerning  the  movements  of 
mere  individuals,  be  they  of  the  court  of  the 
Shogun  or  the  court  of  thieves.  In  the  story- 
tellers' halls  and  the  theatres,  on  the  street 
corner  and  in  all  public  places,  groups  specu- 
latetl  u|)on  the  presence  of  the  foreigners  in 


h 


238 


^1::^ 


u 


fc^ 


* 


9  ^T-zzz: 


a: 


:5l 


ju[)an.  There  was  abroad  a  .subtle.  indeCm- 
able  fear  that  in  some  way  the  coruini,'  of  the  ^ 
foreigners  was  to  chan>;e  the  destiny  of  the 
empire.  The  more  it,^norant  c(nild  not  .see 
clearly  in  what  wxiy  this  was  to  come  about, 
but  there  was  jjresent  in  their  con.sciousness 
fear  of  an  imiiendinj^  evil. 

Nobles  of  both  parlies  were  unsettled.  The 
foreign  visitation  might  mean  amuhilation  to 
either  party.  Ruin  it  did  mean  to  one,  but 
which?  The  shogunate  .seemed  in  the  ascend- 
ant, since  it  had  been  recogiuzed,  bhndly, 
but  still  recognized,  by  the  foreigners.  Thus 
among  all  classes  there  was  manifest  a  great 
unrest,  none  the  less  threatening  and  fearful 
because  its  im{X)rt  was  hidden.  Plainly  the 
shadow  of  events  to  come  had  darkened  the 
nation's  mind. 

The  trade.«Mian  in  his  shop,  showing  his 
wares  to  a  purchaser,  stilted  their  price  un- 
certainly. 

"Just  now,  honorable  sir,  the  price  is  three    F 
yen,  but  the  gtxls  alone  know  what  it  will  be 
to-morrow,   whether  more,   less,   i)riceless   be- 
yond measure,  or  smaller  than  nothing  at  all. 
The  barbarians — " 

"  Ah  yes,  thf  ,e  barbarians."  I  lis  [)urcha.ser 
would  nod  unaerstandingly. 

At  a  street  corner  a  woman  approached  a 
strolling  .samurai  in  the  Shogun's  unifonn. 

"Honorable  sanujrai,"  she  said,  "what  of 
the  foreigners  who  have  come?" 


X 


239 


wmm 


«4 


" 


4 


Ti1R.VoOii>iG  Of  VJiSTAPviA 


-it- 


-iX: 


X 


i 


The  samumi  shrutfj^cd  liis  .shoulders. 

"I'll  tell  you  all  I  know  of  them,"  he  mur- 
mured, without  cnthu.sia.sni. 

A  Kroup  formed  about  him. 

"  What  do  you  know  of  them?"  pres.scd  one. 

"Tell  us  all,"  .said  another. 

The  samurai  sliifted  one  of  the  swords. 

"Of  a  certainty  111  tell  you  all." 

"  Yes?" 

"Of  a  truth  they  have  come,"  he  answered, 
as  with  a  movement  of  disclanner  he  passetl 
up  the  street. 

In  the  story-tellers'  halls  the  reciter  was 
bcsic^fcd  with  requests  for  stories  and  infornui- 
tion  concerniny;  the  .\mericans.  In  some  cases 
he  frankly  avowed  his  ijj^norance,  and  in  other- 
regaled  his  hearers  with  the  weirdest  tales  <if 
a  resourceful  imacri nation. 

Witnessin).j  incidents  of  this  kind  ujxin  every 
side,  Keiki  continued  on  his  way  to  the  palace. 
Of  one  thintj^  he  was  now  fully  assured.  What- 
ever policy  for  the  future  mi^ht  be  decided  on 
by  him  and  his  a.ssociates  could  not  be  put  itito 
immediate  effect.  The  po;)uIar  imjtulse,  the 
popular  mind  was  dazed,  and  was  not  rcidy 
for  action.  Meanwhile  he  would  learn  all  he 
could  of  the  intentions  of  both  foreigners  and 
Shogun. 

Keiki  was  now  quite  near  the  palace  of  the 
Shogun.  His  cloak  he  threw  carelessly  about 
him  in  such  wise  that  while  his  uniform  was 
exposed  his  features  were  imifTled.     Tiie  gate 

J-  ,  ^ 


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J 


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rnEMUOOii^OOp  VJSTARJA 


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before  which  stood  the  samurai  on  guard  at 
the  outer  {x>st  was  open.  Without  a  word  Rei- 
ki strode  hauj^^htily  past  the  guards.  They 
gave  no  challenge. 

Within  the  grounds  enclosed  by  the  stone 
walls  there  was  no  reflection  of  the  disquiet 
manifest  throughout  the  city.  From  the  broad, 
elevated  balconies  of  the  palace,  shining  in  the 
soft  light  diffused  through  the  fusmna,  there 
floated  down  to  the  strained  ears  of  Kciki  the 
sound  of  women's  laughter  and  the  harsher 
tone  of  men's  voices.  AIu.<5ic  mingled  with 
other  sounds  that  indicated  the  quiet  enjoj'- 
ment  of  the  night.  The  very  guards  at  the 
doors  were  careless  in  the  performance  of  their 
d'?ties,  looking  with  the  eye  of  artistic  appre- 
c      ion  ujx>n  the  night's  gentle  festivities. 

Still  undisturbed.  Reiki  passed  through  the 
palace  entrances.  An  officer  of  the  guard 
stared  curiously  for  a  moment  after  him  once, 
then  turned  in  forgctfulness  to  answer  a 
woman's  jest.  Reiki  a.scended  a  stairway. 
In  an  upper  ante -room  he  met  an  under- 
menial. 

"The  chamber  of  the  Shogun,"  he  said, 
coldly. 

"Honorable  lord,"  began  the  menial. 
Prince  Mori  thrust  a  parchment  before  his 
ej'es. 

"The  chamber  of  the  Shogun  at  ace,"  he 
said,  sternly;  "these  despatches  a  mt  of  no 
delav." 


f 


I 


(S^z 


TOE  Mjoo\r^o  o/?  Vi5TAR)A     n 


c=^ 


"His  aupust  cxcellcncN'  is  vcrj-  ill  and  has 
retired,"  said  tlie  servant. 

Keiki  turned  upon  him  shortly. 

"I  know.     Go!" 

The  attendant  preceded  him. 

"  One  minute,"  said  Keiki ;  "  understand,  my 
tuission  is  secret.  But  jjronounce  the  name 
Sakura  to  his  au)L,^ustness. " 

The  man  bent  low.  Then  he  entered  a 
chamber.  lie  reapix'arcd  shortly,  and  havin^r 
signed  to  Keiki  to  enter,  disai)i)cared  down  a 
stairway.  Keiki  waited  until  h.is  footstep.s  had 
passed  away.  Then  he  crossed  the  threshold, 
hesitating  in  the  fashion  of  one  who  enters  a 
strange  apartment  for  the  first  time,  conscious 
that  its  occupant  has  an  advantage  of  prior 
acquaintance. 


:^ 


' 


lU 


Oz): 


TO£.VOOir^G  OjT  Vi5TAR)A 


OR  a  nioinciit  Kciki  was  blinded 
by  the  profu.sion  of  bght  that 
,,  blazed  near  the  door  of  entrance, 
leaving  the  rest  of  the  cham- 
ber i'  shadow.  It  was  a  large 
room,  its  walls  tai)estried  in  silk, 
^  wrought  with  embossed  figures 
'  telling  the  history  of  the  early 
Tokugawa  wars.  At  irregular 
intervals  about  the  room  were  set 
^  screens  bearing  the  same  gold- 
embroidered,  symbolic  figures. 
There  were  a  few  low  tables, 
against  which  were  thrown  the 
implements  and  paraphernalia 
of  war— swords,  helmets,  cui- 
rass, armor,  all  richly  wrought. 


i' 


H 


=35= 


:3Z 


3: 


ff  • 


3: 


X 


— lii- 


? 


"Who  are  you?" 

Kciki  became  conscious  of  a  presence  in 
the  room.  Stretched  upon  a  low  divan  in  a 
shadowed  recess  hiy  an  indistinct  figure,  at 
whose  elbow  a  low  table,  piled  hi^h  with  parch- 
ment and  writing  materials,  stood. 

"Who  are  you?"  repeated  the  voice. 

Keiki  approached  nearer,  bowing  courteous- 
ly, though  somewhat  stiffly. 

"Sakura,"  he  said,  to  gain  time,  while  he 
held  out  a  roll  of  pajx^r  in  his  hand.  lie  drew 
nearer  to  the  figure  on  the  divan.  The  cold 
e3-es  of  the  other  .scanned  him  without  fear. 

"Vou  are  not  Sakura.  Vou  are — 1  know 
you.  Be  good  enough  to  bring  me  that 
cabinet." 

Kciki  crossed  the  apartment  to  the  six)t  in- 
dicated by  the  other's  gesture.  lie  brought 
a  small,  inlaid,  lacquer  box  to  the  side  of  the 
divan. 

The  one  upon  the  divan,  without  a  trace  of 
nervousness,  opened  the  box  and  held  up  to 
the  Prince  of  Mori  a  i)icture  of  himself. 

"See,"  he  '-aid,  "I  have  your  jwrtrait,  with 
an  interesting  description  attached  of  certain 
cannon  foundries  and  works  1  believe  \'ou  main- 
tain in  the  .south.  Ah,  there  is  .something 
else  written  beneath  the  picture."  He  held  it 
to  the  light.  ".Mori,  Lead  of  the  rebel  cause, 
to  be  followed  and  beheaded.  What  is  it  you 
want  with  me?"  he  fini.shed,  rei)lacing  the 
portrait  in  the  box. 


'r 


244 


C: 


C 


« 


X 


3E=: 

245 


Mori  laid  his  hand  uik>ii  his  sword. 

"What  do  you  want  with  lycsada?  I  am 
he,  as  you  are  well  aware.  It  is  less  than  a 
year,  I  believe,  since  j'our  lordship  was  at  niy 
court." 

Mori  winced.  The  memory  of  that  last  visit 
recalled  his  iirst  meeting  with  Wistaria.  lie 
became  very  pale. 

"  \\  hat  do  you  want  with  me':'''  inquired  the 
other,  quietly  watching  him. 

"To  know  your  intentions  towards  itie  ior 
eigners." 

"Are  you  aware,"  returned  the  Shogun, 
"  that  a  single  sign  from  me  would  bring  down 
a  thousand  guards  uiK)n  your  head?" 

Mori  smiled  coldly,  grimly. 

"  Ah,  but  your  highness  will  not  make  that 
sign,"  he  said. 

"  Why  will  I  not?" 

"Because  your  highness  loves  life." 

"You  would  murder  me?" 

"  I  would  cut  off  your  head  and  show  it  to  the 
people  as  the  head  of  a  traitor  and  an  enemy 
to  the  Son  of  Heaven." 

The  Shogun  appeared  rather  amused  than 
alarmed.  lie  regarded  Mori  with  a  peculiar 
and  i)enetrating  glance.     Then  he  sighed. 

"  I  was  young  and  venture.some  once,"  he 
said.  "  I,  too,  at  one  time,  secretly  believed  as 
you  do.    Now — "    He  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  What  are  your  intentions  regarding  these 
foreigners?" 


Tf 


«    TOE  .VoojrsG  O)^  V7i5TARIA 

gt-y-^F =:S— = ;t — - 


f 


3E: 


you  here  to  treat  with  me,   young 


"  Are 
Mori?" 

"If  you  wish,  yes.  I  represent  a  consider- 
able party  in  tho  cirj.ire.  I  ask  with  rij,'ht, 
for  one  clay  I  shall  unthrone  your  excellency." 

lyesada  turned  himself  quickly  ujwn  his 
elbow,  while  his  eyes  continued  to  scrutinize 
the  other  keenly. 

"What  would  you  do  in  my  place?"  he 
asked. 

"  Refuse  their  evcr\'  demand  and  drive  them 
into  the  sea,"  returned  Mori,  as  the  blood  tinj,a>d 
his  cheek. 

"No,  you  would  not;  that  is,  not  if  you  are 
as  far-si^'hted  as  I  take  you  to  be.  Japan  has 
been  sealed  to  the  foreicmers  for  two  hundred 
years,  during  which  time  she  has  ^rowti  stron^r 
in  the  development  of  her  resources  and  her 
civilization.  That  jx^riod  is  at  an  end.  It  can 
never  return.  Foreign  nations  will  demand 
trade  with  us.  They  will  not  depart  at  our 
refusal.  They  will  use  force,  if  neces.sary, 
holding  that  every  nation  must  share  in  the 
comity  of  nations.  If  a  nation  refuse,  they 
will  divide  her." 

"  Pah!"  said  Mori,  impatiently.  "  Is  the  poli- 
cy, then,  of  our  Imperial  realm  to  be  dictated 
by  a  hoard  of  barbarous  peoples  concerning 
whon:  we  know  naught,  save  what  our  history 
in  the  past  has  taught  us?  When  in  the  years 
long  past  they  were  admitted  to  our  lands  and 
we  oi)ened  our  arms  in  hospitality  towards 


246 


I 


* 


^ 


^ 


1P 


^i^f^-je^-m^ 


anSp 


^ 


2C: 


:3E: 


y 


«^ 


them,  what  was  our  reward ?  ForciKn  disease, 
insolent  demands,  a  fanatieal  religion,  intol- 
erant and  exacting.  Finally  we  came  to  he 
treated  as  dogs  by  these  our  inferiors  until 
we  were  forced  to  cx\h:\  them,  since  which 
time  has  not  our  land  been  the  happier  for  our 
seclusion?" 

"It  would  seem,"  said  lycsada,  "that  you 
are  not,  in  spile  of  the  reinjrts  I  have  heard 
concerning  you,  keeping  abreast  of  the  times. 
Vou  are  not  a  son  of  the  dawning  new  Japan; 
you  would  retard  the  progression  whicti  is 
pressing  ujion  us  from  all  sides." 

"I  would  not  have  this  progression  come 
from  the  outside.  I  would  have  my  country 
advance  from  within.  That  is  the  reason  I  am 
an  Imperialist:  Vou  are  right,  my  lord ;  a  new 
Japan  is  about  to  dawn,  but  not  through  the 
invasion  of  yonder  barbarians,  but  because 
the  rightful  ruler  of  our  country  will  be  re- 
stored to  his  throne." 

lyesada  frowned. 

"  Again  I  a.sk,"  continued  Mori,  flushed  with 
his  feeling,  "do  j-ou  intend  to  treat  with  these 
foreigners?" 

"1  will  treat  with  them.  I  will  yield,  but 
combating  every  step." 

"  I  could  declare  a  truce  with  you,"  said  Mori, 
"and  I  possess  the  power  to  enforce  it,  if  you 
will  assume  your  rightful  function  of  war 
lord  and  expel  the  foreigners." 

lyesada  looked  him  through.     There  was  in 


X 


^ 


247 


IP 


'n,^■^ 


^i 


1 


* 


4= 


his  glance  the  patient  scorn  of  the  man  who 
sees  beyond  his  life. 

"  You  appear.  Prince  of  Mori,  to  appreciate 
European  civihzation,  you  who  have  fashioned 
rifles.  I  have  looked  to  you  as  one  who  iiii^ht 
think  with  me.  I  thought  you  repre.sentcd 
progress,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  your  activities 
were  directed  against  myself.  I  have  left  you  to 
younself  for  a  time.  I  thought  you  saw,  as  I 
see,  the  new  Japan,  the  Japan  that  in  self- 
defence  must  assimilate  Eurojxjan  civilization 
to  beat  back  these  Euroi)eans.  I  could  offer 
you  much." 

"  I  belong  to  the  Emjxjror,  who  rules  by  the 
right  of  the  gods." 

To  his  feet  the  Shogun  leajx^d.  Into  his 
disease-deadened  eyes  there  came  the  fire  of 
strong  will.     He  raised  his  arm. 

"Sovereignty  belongs  to — " 

"  The  Emi)eror,"  finished  Mori,  passion- 
ately. 

"To  the  strongest,"  said  the  Shogun;  "to 
that  one  who,  seizing  it,  by  his  ability  and 
wisdom  uses  it  for  the  good  of  all.  I  am  strong 
— he  is  weak.     The  strong—" 

The  Shogun  ceased.  Across  his  face  there 
shot  a  spasm  of  acute  pain.  His  breath  came 
in  gasps.  Mori  heli)ed  him  to  regain  his  couch. 
He  smiled  gently,  sor'-owfully. 

"I  said  I  was  strong,  yet  I  am  indeed  weak. 
I  cannot  hve  to  see  the  new  Japan.  You 
may;  but  go,  go!     I  have  tried  to  save  you 


^ 


? 


H 


k- 


r 


248 


::a: 


i 


-=3 


^ 


. 


^~- 


^ 


TOE  .V/oojjsG  Qp  yfJiZ7AR\k     n 

^=? ^  T- iEz:i=ia,-.-:X-zi 

from  the  folly  of  blind  enthusiasm.     You  dis- 
apjMjint  me — " 

"My  lord!" 

"I  will  allow  you  to  po  in  peace.  Until 
now  I  have  thoui,dU  well  of  you.  Now  I  give 
you  up  to  your  fate.     Your  life  i.s  in  danjrer. " 

Mori's  hand.s  clutched  hi.s  sword-hilt.  The 
Shogun  shook  his  hand  weakly. 

"  Not  now.  You  may  leave  the  place  safely, 
but  I  warn  you  that  henceforth  you  will  be 
hunted.  You  will  be  killed  the  moment  you 
show  yourself.     I  pive  you  twelve  hours!" 

Keiki  bowed  profoundly  but  coldly. 

"As  }-ou  please,  my  lord,"  he  said,  in  leave- 
taking. 

As  Mori  retraced  his  steps  through  cross- 
streets  he  heard  hesitating  footstei>s  behind 
him. 

His  sword  flashed  out.  Running  around 
an  angle  in  the  street,  he  came  upon  a  shght 
figure. 

"Who  goes  there?"  he  shouted. 

"It  is  I,  my  lord,"  said  a  strangely  sweet 
voice. 

"  Jiro!     Well,  my  boy,  .so  you  followed  me?" 

"To  protect  you,  my  lord." 
Mori's  amused  eyes  scanned  the  slim  figure 
of  the  stripling.     lie  laughed  tenderly. 

"  There  was  no  need.  I  have  twelve  hours 
yet,"  he  said,  reflectively. 


-?c- 


^49 


f 


7)1£  .WoojrsG  Of  \^;i3TAR>A 


S  Jiro  followed  closely  behind 
his  master  on  their  return  to  the 
little  house  l)y  the  \V£iter-front, 
he  noticed  signs  of  intense  prc- 
occui)ation  and  irritation  in  Mori. 
The  boy  attenijtted  to  walk  beside 
him,  gazing  into  his  face  with 
tliat  wistful  appeal  of  the  eye 
which  Mori  hi\d  been  unable  to 
fathom  whenever  his  attention 
was  caught  by  it.  Now  he  was  too 
imich  occupied  with  his  thoughts 
to  be  more  than  disturbed  by  it. 
With  a  gesture  of  impatience  he 
exclaimed,  abruptly: 

"  Thou,  Jiro,  walk  a  space  be- 
hind me." 


. 


X 


250 


^ 


"?»:■ 


1^.c-t|^^W^ 


Oz 


s 


E 


f 


Jiro  fell  back.  In  this  wise  they  proceeded 
for  Rome  minutes  until  Jiro  perceived  that 
Mori  was  making:  si>,'nals  to  him.  Jiro,  quick- 
enin/u  his  step,  came  nearer  to  the  Prince. 

"Jiro,  thou  slu^rgard,  hasten,  '  called  the 
Prince. 

Jiro  mad     trembling  haste. 

"  Call  a  no:  anon  at  once,"  ordered  his  master. 

Jiro  ran  into  an  .-  djacent  street,  retuminj; 
shortly  with  the  vehicle,  at  whose  curtains  he 
stoo..  waiting  for  his  lord  to  enter.  Reiki's 
ab-cr  :  glance  fell  uiK)n  the  face  of  Jiro.  It 
was  tear-stained.  The  eyes  wore  that  strange 
expression  of  appeal  which  always  touched 
ertain  emotions  in  the  heart  of  Mori,  so  that 
even  in  liis  harshest  mood  he  could  never  be 
otherwi.se  than  gentle  with  the  lad.  Enter- 
ing the  i)alanquin,  he  drew  Jiro  in  after  him. 

For  a  time  they  travelled  in  silence,  jiro 
broke  it  to  inquire  very  timidly: 

"Whither  do  we  go,  my  lord?" 

If  Mori  heard  him  he  made  no  sign.  The 
journey  was  continued  in  silence.  At  the  <  id 
of  what  seemed  to  Jiro  two  full  hours,  Mori 
dismounted  from  the  carriage  and  bade  the 
runners  wait  for  him.  Jiro  saw  that  they  were 
upon  the  ridge  of  a  headland  overlooking  the 
bay  at  whose  head  stood  the  Shogun's  city  of 
Yedo. 

At  a  sign  from  Reiki  the  boy  followed  the 
Prince  down  a  j  ith  leading  to  the  shore  1  ,low. 
As  they  made  their  rough  way  along,  Jiro  saw 

-   1  J ~ 


^ 


251 


> 


4 


f 


iiuhts  llashiim  (»ut  in  the  bay.  and 


:5^ 


4 


Tjd  occasionally 
iic  ihouuht  he  heard  tlic  .sound  of  oars. 

A  ureal  (hstaiiee  up  the  .shore  he  .saw  men  at 
work  ui).)ii  a  hllle  huilchn^  facniu  the  bay. 
Tliey  were  busilv  enuaued  by  the  h^ht  of 
abuiidanl  torches.  The  .sj-eed  of  M.>n,  how- 
ever, larnutled  tlie  boy  to  taUc  few  ob.serva- 
lioiii.  Already  his  breathmu  was  heavy  and 
labored   ni  his  atteuii)t   to  keep   up  with  his 

master. 

As  thev  neared  the  water  the  curvature  ol 
the  .shore  hid  the  torch-liuhted  spot  from  view. 
With  sullen  glance  directed  ahead  of  him, 
M.)ri  kej)ton  until  he  stcxnl  almost  at  the  ed^c 
of  the  water,  which  m  lapping,  niky  darkness 
glided  and  twisted  at  his  feet.  Then  with  his 
chin  restinj,'  uinm  his  arm,  half  rechnini^ 
against  a  uiant  bowlder  which,  torn  from  the 
headland  al)ovc,  had  i)loughed  a  j^'ruduing  way 
hither,  Keiki  looked  out  across  the  water. 

It  was  silent— a  silence  made  impressive  and 
accentuated  by  elemental  sounds,  the  lapi>inK 
of  the  water  below,  the  bursting  of  a  crested 
wave,  the  swirl  of  pebbles  and  sand  thrust 
insist'entlv  up  the  beach  by  the  drive  of  the 
water.  The  darkness  seemed  a  thing  alive, 
which,  taking  on  fiendish,  malign  persoiudi- 
ty,  .sought  to  blind  the  mind,  the  heart,  the 
emotions,  as  it  did  the  eyes. 

There  was  an  all-i>ervading  suggestion  of 
fate,  of  adversitv,  of  other  i)roi)agated  in- 
fluences   through    the    night.     Subtle   spirits 


X 


.. 


252 


h 


c=i 


* 


w 


4 


hovered,  circled  throuiih  the  air,  met,  daslu-d 
their  win^s,  turned,  treiiihktl  dnwti,  duwji. 
Jiru  could  have  shrieked  aloud,  could  he  ha\e 
found  voice. 

(Jradually,  faintly,  as  the  nu)notony  of  the 
natural  sounds  nuinl)ed  his  j)hysical  sense  of 
hearing!,  Jiro  found  that  a  new  sense  of  appeal 
to  his  ear  was  hemtj  made,  off  ni  the  darkness. 
As  they  reached  his  consciousness,  with  their 
uiimistakal)le  human  oriyin  slronuly  impres.s- 
ed,  his  fright  ^ave  way.  hi  its  place  came  the 
calm  of  nerves  raised  to  a  hiL'her  tension.  It 
was  now  the  creakiriLr  of  chains,  the  w<MHlen 
friction  of  oars,  the  movements  of  men  on  l)oard 
ship.  All  at  once  lii^hts  j^deamed  forth.  They 
defined  by  their  frecjiiency  and  fjosition  the  out- 
lines of  a  vcs.sel  not  unlike  the  smaller  native 
boats  plyiuLT  iu  the  hiiy.  Other  lights  ai)i)car.xl 
in  quick  succession.  Soon  the  forms  of  four 
j,'iant  vessels  were  indicated  rather  than  re- 
vealed. 

"  The  foreigner!"  said  Jiro,  under  his  breath. 

Then  high  up  in  the  air,  above  the  lead- 
ing of  the  four  defined  ves.sels,  flashed  a  vari- 
ety of  colored  liLrhts.  These  were  instantly 
answered  from  the  others.  There  was  the 
rhythmic  sound  of  men  iit  work  uikmi  some 
machine,  the  clatter  of  chains  at  the  bows,  and 
the  ves.sels  moved  nearer  to  the  shore. 

These  mana-uvres  were  partially  understo(Kl 
by  Keiki.  The  lord  of  that  fleet,  hitherto  un- 
seen by  any  JajKinese,   was  getting   up  his 


♦■ 


253 


X 


^ 


=r 


„    Tim  MiJ0O)U0  Of  WiSTAPvi A 


H 


TZ 

anchors  and  drawing  nearer  to  the  shore, 
haviiii,'  t^cnt  out  his  boats  first  to  take  proper 
soundings. 

Every  li^ht  below  the  deck  line  revealed  an 
ofKn  ix)rt,  and  every  ojK'n,  lighted  i)ort  show- 
ed a  gun  slung  shoreward.  The  squadron's 
l)eople  were  to  land  the  next  day,  but  they  were 
all  vigilance  in  the  mean  time. 

One  by  one  the  vessels  moved  to  their  new 
positions.  After  an  interval,  the  noise  and 
movement  oeemed  to  cease  about  them.  A 
light  was  hoisted  aloft  on  board  the  leading 
ves.sel.  Instantly  every  light  disa])pcared  from 
the  iK)rts,  and  the  blackness  of  the  night  again 
enveloped  their  movements. 

Mori  turned  towards  the  boy,  noting  curious- 
ly the  spasmodic  working  of  his  features. 
"^  "What  is  it,  Jiro?"  he  asked,  kindly. 

"It  is  a  st^-ange  civilization,"  said  Jiro,  in  a 
choking  voice. 

"Civilization!"  re|)eatcd  Keiki — "civiliza- 
tion! I  seem  to  hear  tliat  word  everywhere 
to-night." 


'=¥ 


^ 


^54 


^=r:    Z-. — ^ 


LL  throu£Th  the  night,  while 
Mori  and  other  Imperiahsts  look- 
ed interrogatively  to  the  forces 
within  and  without  the  coun- 
try, and  while  the  dreaded 
foreigners  kept  careful  watch 
urxn  their  ships,  native  arti- 
sans reared  the  structure  after- 
wards known  in  the  memories 
of  the  strangers  as  the  "  Treaty 
House." 

Simple  as  was  the  building,  its 
erection  was  attcndofl  with  cer- 
tain outward  signs  which  would 
have  led  the  o'iser\'er  to  identify 
in  them  the  same  spirit  fx^rvad- 
ing  the  mar:et  -  place,  the  open 


I3d 

255 


X 


f^ 


r  ^  ;r-^^ — T^  x:: 


* 


Y 


public  gathering  space,  the  theatres,  the 
sho{)s. 

Those  who  labored  under  torch-light,  an  un- 
usual proceeding  in  itself,  were  iin{)resscd  with 
a  inisshajx'n,  grotesque,  whollj'  undefined  fear. 
Artisans  as  they  were,  thej-  realized,  if  sub- 
consciously, that  their  act  had  in  it  the  germs 
of  a  future — dark  and  ominous,  their  instincts 
asserted.  The  Jai)anese  ol'liciaLs — o.''  a  minor 
grade — who  directed  the  work,  being  higher  in 
the  scale  of  intelligence,  were  by  no  means  so 
vague  in  their  minds.  They  believed  firmly 
that  the  raising  of  this  simple  building  meant 
the  downfall  of  their  country,  its  government, 
its  institutions.  Rapacious  foreigners  for  two 
centuries  had  insulted  them  and  flouted  at 
Jaj^an,  had  returned  to  accept  no  delay  or 
parley. 

Indeed,  certain  sub-rosa  expressions  of  opin- 
ion and  declarations  of  y)urpose  among  offi- 
cers of  the  fleet,  translated  to  them  by  visitors 
to  the  foreign  ships  of  that  alien  nation  alone 
tolerated  in  Japan  at  this  i)eriod — the  Dutch — 
had  deepened  the  alarm.  The  strangers  had 
said  in  effect;  "  Xo  nation  has  a  right  to  with- 
draw herself  from  the  comity  £ind  commerce  of 
other  nations.  Japan  must  come  to  this  view; 
amicably,  if  jxxssible,  but  thiough  cannoned 
arguments  if  not  otherwise." 

Every  act  of  the  strangers  thus  far  had  been 
in  accord  with  this  secret  expression  of  |X)licy. 
The  reserve  and  punctilious  etiquette  of  the 


I 


4 


t 


256 


^ 


Mi=. 


H 


w 


Japanese  had  been  met  with  a  bold  advance 
by  Cumniodore  Perry's  .S(}uadri)n.  At  each 
pretext  for  delay  advanced  by  the  Japanese 
the  shij)s  had  moved  neater  to  Yedo,  believed 
by  the  ollicers  of  the  scjuadron,  knowing  noth- 
ing of  the  Shomin-I')mi)eror  relationship,  to  be 
the  capitii!  of  the  ICmi)eror  of  Japan. 

When  Perry  had  i)e  i  told  that  he  might  de- 
liver his  letters  and  credentials  to  minor  of- 
ficials, he  had  rvplied  that  lirst  they  must  send 
to  him  commissicjiiers  second  in  rank  only  to  the 
Enii>eror.  Perry  himself,  imitating  the  seclu- 
sion of  those  w  horn  he  sought  to  reach,  took  care 
to  be  seen  or  approached  b\-  no  Japanese,  dele- 
gating inferior  ollicers  to  the  task.  Now  for 
the  first  time  he  was  to  show  himself  to  the 
peojjle,  and  the  nobles,  the  jirinces  Aidzu  and 
Latzu,  in  their  capacity  of  high  commissioners 
were  to  meit  him. 

Thus  it  was  that  all  watched  the  work  ufKm 
the  Treaty  House  in  sullen  emotion.  The 
workmen  themselves  nu)ved  in  complete  si- 
lence, which  was  l)roken  not  by  word,  but 
only  bv  the  noi.se  of  their  o])erations.  Their 
sui)eriors  gave  their  instructions  by  gesture 
or  brief  word. 

The  lunlding  itself  was  not  pretentious,  al- 
though Its  situation  on  a  slight  elevation  near 
the  water  was  central,  in  full  view  of  t!ie  fleet 
out  in  the  bay,  and  was  overlooked  by  the  sur- 
rounding heights  and  blufTs.  It  consisted  of 
an   ante-chamber  and  a  long   audience  -  hall, 


♦• 


i 


c^  c 


TOe,M/OOjrsG  Oi^  WiSTARiA 


JZ 


4 


R 


h 


^ 


around  whosf  side  a  sort  of  divan  had  been 
l)uilt.  At  llic  head  of  iliis  apartniiiit  a  nuiiil)cr 
of  chairs  were  placed  for  the  comfort  of  the 
foreigners,  fn  the  centre  of  the  space,  u\Hm  a 
raised  pl.itfonn,  whose  tai)estries  and  hantj- 
iims  snuue-'^Ic'd  (he  aUar  of  some  semi  -  barba- 
rian church,  stood  an  iimnense,  red  -  Iac<juered 
box,  destined  for  the  reception  of  the  papers 
brouulu  by  the  foreitcners  for  transmittal  to  the 
"  I'^mperor. " 

In  the  distance  were  the  encampments  ton- 
taininu  the  retinues  of  ilic  princes  Aidzu  and 
Catzu,  to  wliich  the  artisans  witlidrew  when,  as 
a  linal  touch  of  preparation,  they  liad  set  hided 
tlie  entire  surroundinu;  of  the  Treaty  House  by 
the  erection  of  hime  l)am])ooand  silken  screens. 

All  were  now  awaitinir  the  hour  of  eleven  in 
tlie  morniiiLr,  the  hour  set  for  the  ceremonial. 
The  departure  of  a  boat  from  tlie  SusqiieJuniud 
was  observed.  In  addition  to  its  rowiny-  crew, 
it  contained  a  siiiLrle  ol'licer  in  the  stern. 

Those  about  the  Treaty  House  watched  the 
danciniz:  course  of  the  boat  over  the  waves, 
U!)til,  havinir  discharged  its  ofiicer  at  the  coast- 
line, it  withdrew  into  stiller  water;  watched 
witli  seeminu  ai>i)rehensioii  his  landward 
Course  up  the  hei}.,dits. 

The  olVicer  was  yountr ;  he  knew  a  few  words 
of  Japanese,  and  went  at  once  to  the  ])oint 
u])on  his  arrival  before  the  Treaty  House. 

"What  do  these  screens  mean?"  he  de- 
manded. 


X 


^5« 


X 


it 


.'.     Xf      jL. 


TOE.WOOjrsOOf?  NWSTARIA 


■A 


H 


3E: 


:x 


The  minor  ofTicials  locUttl  fro/ii  one  lo  an- 
other, (^le  ofiicial,  a  determined  exi)res.sion 
I)a.ssin^  for  an  instant  over  his  face,  sti  pjx'd 
forward      He  bowed  iM)htely. 

'  Wc — insit^nificant  and  unworthy  liraincd 
men  (hat  we  are  —  cannot  understand  that 
hon()ral)le  lanmiiLie  that  you  sikmU.  ft  is  not 
Jaj)anes<.    ;ior  >    i  Dutch, which  al-  >ne  we  know.  " 

Enough  of  this  s!)eech  was  understiuKl  h\' 
the  heutenant.  I'lainly,  they  pretended  not  to 
undv  rstand  his  Japanese. 

"  Wherefore  the.se  hidin>.:s  of  the  h^ht  of  the 
honoral)Ie  un  rom  our  insignificant  eyes?" 
he  continued  in  Japanese,  chanijintj  his  idiom. 

A^ain  came  the  answer  of  the  Japanese 
ollicial. 

"  Vour  excellency,  we  cannot  understand." 

The  lieutenant  uttered  an  oath.  These 
heathen  were  tryintr,  he  told  himself 

"Any  one  here  sj)eak  I'^nj^dish?"  he  de- 
manded. 

Instantly  a  fmure  sprancr  forward  out  of  the 
crowd  of  sightseers  beyond  the  military  lines. 
Having  adv£inced  boldly,  the  volunteer  hesi- 
tated an  instant,  as  if  he  had  acted  upon  an 
impulse,  ^retted  a  moment  too  late.  It  was 
Mori,  but  Mori  still  in  disLTuise. 

The  American  lieutenaiit  .saw  his  hesitatioti. 

"Do  you  speak  Hniflish?" 

Keiki  sutmnoned  such  knowledue  of  the 
lauLTuaj^^e  as  Satsuma  had  taui^ht  him.  He 
answered  briefly : 


X 


^ 


*' 


^ 


■i=i 


^59 


„     TOE  .VOOji>iG  OJr?  Vi^TAPJA 


crv-ag 


-^ 


' 


:^ 


i4 


"Yes." 

"  Then  ask  what  these  screens  have  been 
put  up  for." 

Keiki  rciH-'ated  the  question  to  the  Jai)anese 
oflicer,  who,  anj^ered  at  his  i)enetrati()n  of  their 
evasion,  cast  surly  glances  ujxtn  him.  They 
answered  readily,  however.  Mori  translated 
their  reply  into  lOntjlish  a  moment  later. 

"They  say,"  he  rei)orte(l,  "  that  in  Xij)ix)n 
all  ixreat  gatherint^s  are  i)rivate.  These 
screiMS  keej)  oIT  the  common,  low  j)eople.  ' 

"Tell  them  these  thintjs  nuist  come  down," 
ordereil  the  ollicer,  in  what  the  Japanese  con- 
sidered an  im|)olite,  not  to  say  nisolent,  tone. 

Mori  transl.ilai. 

"  What  do  they  say?"  asked  the  lieutenant. 

There  was  a  pause 

"Xothim,^  vet,"  said   Mori,  stiffly. 

While  the  oflicials  still  stared,  the  olTlicer  turn- 
ed to  the  offendintj  screens.  With  his  own 
hands  he  heu:an  their  demolition.  Slowly,  one 
by  one,  the  Japanese  jouied  him.  Soon  the 
s|)ace  once  enclosed  by  the  screens  was  bare 
to  the  view  of  all  on  the  .American  vessels. 
The  officer  mo\  ed  towards  his  boat. 

"  I  wish  to  speak  some  more  words  with  you." 
."■■.aid   .Mori,  followiiiLj  him. 

"Oh,  certanily.     What  is  ii^" 

"Xot    here,    if   you   please.     Down   by    the 
boat." 
Lome. 

I-'ollowed  by  the  an^ry  looks  of  the  whole 


3: 


260 


X 


a: 


;•-' 


u 


w 


^rskmmm^.^^ 


m 


h 


«4 


t 


4 


r 


^ 


1^  ?ir  ji  T^       ^T" 


proup  of  JajKincso  sub-ofTicials,  in  which  there 
was  distinct  hostihty  towards  himself,  Mori 
went  with  the  heutenant  to  a  sjx)t  towards 
wliich  the  l)oat  was  .'ipproachnip. 

"  Xow  what  can  I  do  for  you?"  niquir<*d  the 
oflicer,  more  afTaljly. 

"  Vou  think  you  treat  with  the  Emix?ror?" 
inquired  Mori,  his  face  tiushed  by  tlie  other's 
lack  of  courtesy. 

"  Certainly. " 

"  \'ou  do  not.  " 

"What''" 

Th'j  ol'licer  started,  rei^arding  Mori  scepti- 
cally. 

"  Xo,  ycni  do  not.  Vou  but  treat  with  his 
war  lord — the  Shopun." 

"What's  the  Sbi^un?" 

"  There  are  two  emiK-Tors  in  Jajiiin  ;  one  the 
rij^^htful  emperor,  the  Mikado;  the  other  his 
vassal,  his  war  lord,  who  is  without  authority 
to  deal  with  you.  He  makes  seeming  sub- 
mission to  the  Km|x;ror. " 

"Is  this  true''" 

"  Tell  it  to  your  master,  that  Lord  Perry. 
Ask  that  he  demand  the  truth  from  those  sent 
to  meet  him,  in  the  public  gatherinix. " 

"  Why,  this  is  astounding !  It  must  be  look- 
ed into.  Will  you  come  on  board  with  me  and 
reix)rt  it  in  jK-rson?" 

Mori  shook  his  head. 

"  No,  1  cannot,"  he  replied,  "  but  let  him  seek 
the  truth  where  it  nuist  be  told  unto  hmi. " 


^ 


261 


i 


^ 


1^ 


=S^ 


Tluv  had  been  six-akintf  in  Jajwincse,  with 
an  (x-casional  word  of  Ent,Mi.sh,  whin  one  was 
unahiL'  to  understand  the  other's  rendering  of 
its  e(iui\  aleut.     Tlie  ollicer  returned  to  I>ngh.sh. 

"  Vour  name?"  he  asked. 

Mori  replied  in  Japjuiese. 

"  \  our  master  is  honoral)ly  iL,'norant  of  my 
name  and  ranlc.  The  truth  from  any  source 
is  sufiieient.  Ask  at  the  proj)er  place,  and  you 
will  know  that  I  speak  truth." 

The  oflicer  pau.^ed,  with  one  lei:  lifted  over 
the  uunwale  of  the  boat.  He  made  a  sudden 
movement  towards  his  men,  sittiuLj  with  raised 
oars. 

"Seize  him!"  he  ordered. 

Before  the  .sailors  could  droj)  their  oars  and 
o])ey,  Keiki,  who  divined  the  .sitrnilicance  of 
the  words,  ran  raj)idly  alont:  the  sandy  beach, 
disa|)|x.'arinL:  beyond  a  headland. 

"Damned  awkward,  this,"  commented  the 
lieutenant,  "but  it  nuist  be  rei)orted  to  the  old 
man."     Then  to  his  crew: 

"Give  way,  men!" 


i 


9=^ 


262 


> 

r* 


^ 


:« 


^ ;t ^  JL_ 


^ 


*■ 


IIATFA'KR  speculation  the  sud- 
den friendly  inlerjH)silion  of  u 
Japanese  nilo  the  American  of- 
ficer's dileiiur.a  caused  aiiionj; 
the  sul)-oflicials  in  charj^e  of  the 
Treaty  House,  it  did  not  run  a 
lenj^fthy  course.  Xews  that  was 
whisiK-Tcxl  about,  lirstanion^  the 
niuhilude  of  unoflicial  visitors 
crowding  all  the  surroundini^ 
points  of  vantage  not  (Kcupied 
by  the  Shotrmi's  troops,  j)ene- 
trated  uradually  to  the  f(K:al 
siM>t  of  the  greatest  curiosity', 
f  the  Treaty  House.  It  was  an 
event  of  secondary  inij)ortance 
to  the  exjK'cted   visit  from   the 


fe 


i 


^ 


r 


TOE  .WOOij>iG  Of?  \W5TAR)A 

-i3=i:iriz:3:_  .r  y -y~— 

HK-n-of-war.     The  princt-s  Aidzu  and  Catzu 
had  arrival  from  Wdo,  and  uirc  now  awaitinj; 
the  fcrc-iunirs  ni  tluciuartcrs  prepared  for  ihein. 
.M;uiy  of  those  present  had  never  seen  these 
powerful  princes.     So,  crowdinLT  past  the  com- 
mon soldiers,   they  i>ressed   uik.tj   their  head- 
quarters, until  stop(K.>d  hy  the  chosen  ^uard 
of  samurai  surrounding  the  princelv  pavilions 
About  the  tent  of  Catzu  the  f)ress  of  the  mob 
was    heaviest.     The   huue   Sir  Cenii,    tovinp 
with  his  f,ditterintr  blade  sif,r„i|ieantly  when- 
ever a  curious  citizen  came  Ux)  near  the  en- 
trance, remarked  grimly  to  a  fellow-samurai 

"Of  a  truth,  all  the  doi.cs  «»f  Xippfm  invade 
our  ranks  t(Klay.  I  have  only  to  extend  my 
s\vord  to  sj)lit  a  dozen  fat  merchants." 

"  Extend  it,  then,"  growled  the  other,  as  with 
the  flat  of  his  blade  he  dealt  a  ^rctle  blow  uixm 
the  pate  of  a  vender  of  wines. 

The  trattment  accorded  to  the  crowd  by  the 
samurai  enj:rendered  no  bitterness.  The  nier- 
cantile  classes,  awed  at  all  times  bv  the  sight 
of  one  in  s,-nimrai  orders,  shrank  back  at  the 
hrst  siicn  of  disi)leasure  brought  upon  them- 
selves from  the  proudest  grade  in  Japan. 

Nor,  indeed,  was  the  real  displeasure  of  the 
samurai  at  any  time  in  evidence.  Thev,  too, 
like  the  common  i)eoiile,  were  engrossed  in  the 
exiKxtation  of  events.  Although  their  im- 
pa.ssivc  faces  did  not  i)ermit  the  revelation  of 
their  real  feeling,  there  was  among  them  the 
same  subtle  curiosity  and  forebtxling. 


X 


z3:z 


^:^...-di^M.y. 


From  across  the  hay,  rolhn^  .iiid  rcvtrbtr.it- 
intr,  striking;  the  roiUv  aimlis  of  the  hiuhlaiuls 
and  driven  hack  repulsed,  came  the  lonij  roar 
of  the  forcit,nicrs'  sahitini;  mms.  Instantly 
the  |H)puh»ce  l)ecatne  silent,  riveted  to  what- 
ever locality  they  occupied. 

Amont;  the  ships  there  was  hustle  and  move- 
ment. The  foreijLTners  were  lowering  hoats 
from  every  ves.sel  in  their  .squadron.  With 
their  crews  and  ofTlcers  sittint;  in  them,  the 
hoats  swunii;  froiii  the  davits  into  the  water. 
Plainly  the  .scjuadron  was  sendinj^  every  man 
and  olTicer  to  he  spared. 

While  the  ^uns  were  still  vomiting  forth 
their  salute  to  the  occasion,  the  Lord  Catzu 
came  forth  from  his  tent.  With  a  wave  of  his 
hand  he  turned  to  (Jenji. 

"  Drive  me  hack  this  rahhle,"  he  ordered. 

Instantly  the  .samurai,  joininjr  with  the  com- 
mon troop,  heat  hack  the  mass  of  citizens, 
forcing  o]K:n  a  wide  lane,  that  extended  hut 
a  short  distance  towards  the  Treaty  Hou.se. 
Where  no  guards  were,  there  the  i)Cople  ob- 
structed the  pas.saire. 

(ienji  quickly  remedied  this  by  despatching 
guards  to  clear  a  pathway  to  a  iK»int  where 
a  similar  line  from  the  Prince  of  Aidzu's  piivil- 
ion  should  join.  Into  the  two  paths  ofx^ned 
l)y  the  Shoj.,nin's  tnM)ps  the  corl^jfe  of  the  two 
prince -commissioners  pas.sed.  That  of  the 
Lord  Catzu  was  headed  by  a  troop  of  the  young 
sons  of  .samurai,  boys  small  in  stature,  bearing 


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MICROCOPY    RESOLUTION    TEST    CHART 

ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No    2 


1.0 


I.I 


12.8 
32 


l_ 


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II  2.5 

I  2.2 

2.0 
1.8 


1.25 


1.4 


1.6 


^     /APPLIED  lIVt^GE 


■fibJ    Ejst    Mor    'jt.eel 

"oc^iester.  New   rc'k        1*609       uSA 

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aloft  a  silken  banner  whose  ^old  embroideries 
were  the  crests  of  the  Shoyun  and  his  feudal 
vassal  Catzu.  Next  nKle  a  irooj)  of  inferior 
samurai,  heavily  armed,  on  l)lack  horses. 
After  them  came  the  chief  vassal  of  the  Lord 
Catzu,  mounted  on  a  white  horse,  with  three  of 
his  own  vassals,  each  with  his  train  of  at- 
tendants. Finally,  at  the  head  of  a  brilliant 
and  sj)arklinK  train  of  warriors  and  courtiers, 
came  the  ini]>osinij  and  i)orlly  Lord  of  Calzu, 
carried  in  a  gilded  norimon.  A  company  of 
samurai,  who.se  chief  u\xm  all  ordinary  oc- 
casions was  Sir  (ienji,  broutrht  uj)  the  rear. 

The  train  of  the  Prince  of  Aidzu  was,  in 
general  order  and  arrangement,  similar  to  that 
of  the  Lord  Catzu. 

The  two  corteges  moved  in  lines  .slightly 
converging  until  they  met.  Then  the  heads 
of  each  side  column  or  division  rode  side  by 
side.  Throughout  the  whole  company,  in 
perfect  order,  this  arrangement  held,  the  left 
train  of  the  Lord  Catzu  bein^  nearer  the  bay 
than  that  of  Aidzu.  So  comi)lelely  was  the 
symmetry  of  the  i)arallel  mo\ement  carried 
out  that  the  Prince  of  Catzu  had  on  his  left  the 
Prince  of  Aidzu. 

At  the  moment  of  comjilcte  juncture,  a  word 
of  command  sjied  back  among  the  allied  ranks. 
In  a  moment  (lenji,  at  the  head  of  a  large  IxKly 
of  mounted  .'^anuirai,  ])a.s.sed  to  the  riuht  of  his 
lord  on  his  way  to  the  van.  A  sinnlar  Ixxly 
l)as.sed  along  the  left. 

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These  samurai,  arrived  at  the  front,  rapidly 
drove  tlie  crowds  back  from  the  hne  of  march, 
leavintf  a  passaf,fe,  which  they  hned  at  inter- 
vals, clear  to  th.e  Treaty  House.  Each  samu- 
rai rode  back  and  forth  in  the  side  S{)ace  he  had 
kept  free  to  himself. 

The  Kortrcous  pageant  advanced  rapidly 
thnnij^di  the  short  pas.sai,^'  until  its  head  rested 
ujK>n  the  etUrance  of  the  Treaty  House.  In- 
stantly the  lines  of  the  two  i)rinces  divided  as 
before,  fallinir  back  on  either  side  until  the  two 
norimons  of  the  princes  were  reached.  These 
advanced  as  before  until  the  chief  vassal  of 
each  ])rince  stood  before  the  Treaty  House. 
Then  the  vassals  assisted  their  lords  to  dis- 
mount from  their  norimons,  bowing  deeply 
and  profoundly  as  they  did  so. 

Side  by  side  the  two  commissioners  marched 
to  the  door  of  entrance,  whose  threshold  they 
crossed  alone.  After  a  respectful  interval  the 
chief  vassals  and  functionaries,  with  a  number 
of  .sanuirai,  followed  their  lords.  The  military 
force  and  other  attendants  still  sto(xl  with  their 
ranks  ojx^n  outside,  (ienji  gave  a  quick  com- 
mand, and,  the  double  ranks  closing,  faced 
about  so  as  to  present  a  solid  armed  front  to 
any  one  moving  against  the  Treaty  House. 

Inside,  the  princes  with  their  chief  commis- 
sioners were  ranged  at  the  head  of  the  Treaty 
House,  in  silent  waiting  on  the  foreigners. 

Meanwhile  the  fleet  of  small  boats  from  the 
squadron  were  nearing  the  shore.     Splendid 


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as  was  the  retinue  of  the  commissioners,  and 
()UtnumI)erinL{  as  it  did  that  of  the  Americans, 
yet  it  was  ai)iJarcnt  at  a  >,'lance  that  Perry  had 
stri})i)ed  his  shii)S  of  all  but  a  small  force. 
The  boats,  crowded  to  the  gunwales,  moved 
slowly  to  the  landin>,r-place,  built  over-ni,i,^ht. 

First,  the  bodies  of  sailor-soldiers  were  dis- 
embarked. They  wore  the  dress  of  sailors, 
but  each  carried  a  musket.  Then  a  band  came 
ashore.  Finally  the  oQicers  of  the  squ£idron 
and  Perrv's  staff  itself  mingled  with  the  others. 
A  small  guard  was  left  with  the  boats  before 
the  march  was  taken  up  to  the  Treaty  House. 
Then,  in  quick  step  to  the  music  of  the  band, 
the  comi^any  set  off,  travelling  at  twice  the 
pace  of  the  Japanese  retiiiues. 

The  band  marched  first.  Then  came  the 
marines  with  their  oOicers.  In  the  centre  was 
the  Commodore  Perry,  with  his  stafT.  Follow- 
ing were  more  marines  and  oflicers. 

As  this  array  proceeded  in  the  quick,  sharp, 
uniform  step  ixxuliar  to  disciplined  bodies, 
there  were  no  shouts  of  ai)i)lause,  no  encourag- 
ing cheers,  no  uncovering  of  heads,  no  clapping 
of  hands.  The  silent  multitudes  regarded 
them  sullenly,  expectantly,  fearfully. 

"Gad!"  exclaimetl  a  young  lieutenant, 
"they  don't  take  to  us.  This  io  no  Fifth 
Avenue  parade." 

"  No,  it  is  not.  More  like  action,"  mumbled 
his  companion. 

When  the  oflicers  came  within  sight  of  the 


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entrance  and  saw  the  columns  lioslilelv  ar- 
rant,'ecl,  there  was  a  ni«)venient  of  alarm.  Hut 
quickly  the  dual  force  of  Cal/.u  and  Aidzu 
spread  out  to  perimt  a  passage  ihrouuh  itself. 
The  Americans  uave  an  order.  Their  band 
went  suddeidy  to  the  rear,  its  place  taken 
by  a  body  of  marines,  who  moved  until  their 
head  rested  upon  the  door  of  entrance.  They 
in  turn  oi)ened  a  way  for  the  di\  ision  at  whose 
head  marched  the  chief  ollicer.  With  arms 
at  "present,"  they  stood  awaitinjjj  its  aj)- 
proach. 

At  the  head  of  the  division  now  advancinfj. 
under  the  colors  and  backed  by  imnor  of- 
ficers, strode  a  commandintc  nj.,rure.  It  was 
that  of  a  full-bodied,  ruddy,  stern- featured 
man,  in  whose  every  jKnse  of  body  and  head 
was  command.  He  was  bareheaded.  About 
his  temj)les  the  breeze  from  the  bay  scattered 
his  short,  sliL,rhtly  gmy  hair. 

The  sij^ht  of  the  Japanese  army  in  its  menac- 
nig  position,  facint,'  the  multitudes,  may  have 
carried  alarm  to  his  soul.  It  had  been  in- 
stantly met  b\'  his  counter  arraying  of  marines  ; 
but  there  was  no  fear  manifest  in  face,  j^ait,  or 
manner.  Without  i)ause  he  entered  quickly 
the  audience -hall,  followed  by  his  oflicers. 
Turning  his  head  to  neither  side,  he  seated 
liimself  in  a  chair  similar  in  respect  and  po.si- 
tion  to  those  occujjied  by  the  commissioners. 
There  was  a  i)ause,  a  momentar}'  embarrass- 
ment was  felt  by  all  present.     Then  the  Arner- 


3E: 


269 


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TOE  .WOOjisG  Qp  v/iSTARJA 

~- ^  T  ^ r- 


lean  coinnuHlore  suininoncd  the  Dutch  inter- 
preter, throiitrh  whom  the  conversation  was 
to  take  place. 

"Inform  them,"  he  said,  "that  I  have  some 
questions  to  ask.' 


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270 


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HEN  the  company  of  foreign- 
ers had  passed  nito  the  Treaty 
House,  the  few  moments  in- 
tervening before  the  beginning 
of  the  ceremonies  within  were 
emi)loyed  by  the  samurai  still 
on  guard  outside  in  scrutinizing 
the  cards  of  those  citizens  whose 
rank  rx.Tmitted  them  to  fill  the 
vacant  rear  of  the  hall. 

At  first  the  sanuirai,  exact- 
ing in  their  task,  examined 
carefully  the  invitation  of  each 
ajiplicant.  Wheti,    however, 

those  in  charge  warned  them 
that  the  time  was  short,  they 
crowded    ceremoniously    within 

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their  lines  into  the  hall,  while  those  without, 
w  hether  card-holders  or  not,  were  driven  back 
nnitfhly. 

The  nioveincnt  had  been  noted  in  its  first 
sta>,a's  by  Mori,  who  with  Toro  and  Jiro  had 
been  forcing  his  way  steadily  towards  the 
^ruardiiiK  saimirai.  When  the  first  press  of 
the  rejected  smote  him  on  all  sides,  he  turn- 
ed to  Jiro. 

"If  we  are  .separated  in  this  turmoil,  I 
would  charge  you,  Jiro — "  he  be^an. 

The  sudden  interposition  of  a  double  rank 
of  samurai  drove  him  back,  while  it  swept  his 
companions  within  the  circle  of  those  beinf^ 
forced  into  the  Treaty  House.  Turning;,  Jiro 
watched  Mori  strutrule  under  the  disadvantat,'e 
the  crowd  imposed  upon  him.  Then,  with  a 
rcsi>,rned  smile  and  a  shrujr  of  the  shoulders, 
Mori  made  to  Jiro  a  sit^n  of  writinj:,'.  A  mo- 
uient  more  and  Toro  and  Jiro  found  them- 
selves within  the  audience -chamber.  They 
gained  j)laces  beside  an  oi)eninjf  throutjh 
which  the  .samurai  j)reservintJ  order  outside 
could  be  seen. 

\\  hen  the  American  comnuxlore  addrcs.sed 
his  first  words  to  the  interpreter,  the  Lord  of 
Catzu  arose.  Toro  and  Jiro  whisjKTed  to- 
gether as  they  caught  sight  of  the  gorgeous 
figure.  The  interpreter  translated  to  him  the 
words  of  the  American.  Then  through  the 
interpreter  the  Lord  of  Catzu  made  rei)ly: 
"August  sir.  Lord  Admiral  of  the  unknown 


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fleet,  we  will  ha\e  joy  in  answering;  your 
honorable  questions— any  and  all~in  ^(hxI 
tune,"  he  said.  "  But  first  allow  us  to  offer 
our  apoloirifs.  We  were  unable  to  provide 
you  with  arm-chairs  such  as  vour  excellency 
IS  accustomed  to  occupy  on  board  your  h*.nor- 
able  ships;  for  that  reason  we  are  greatly 
piiined.  and  trust  you  will  overlook  our  im- 
politeness. But  that  chair  which  vou  now 
fill  and  whose  brothers  we  humblv  occupy, 
out  of  compliment  to  your  excellency,  re- 
sembles it  so  far  as  our  abilities  have  been 
able  to  copy  it." 

The  American  commodore  looked  at  the 
chair  he  occupied.  If  the  first  words  of  the 
commissioner  appeakxl  at  all  to  his  risibili- 
ties, he  was  both  too  courteous  a  gentleman 
and  too  astute  a  diplomat  to  Ix-trav  any  si<,'n. 
His  face  was  grave  to  solemnity  a.s  he  regard- 
ed the  superb  workmanshij)  of  the  chair  ui)on 
which  he  sat,  plainly  an  Oriental  interpreta- 
tion of  an  American  article. 

"The  chair  is  comfortable.  It  serves  its 
purpose  and  honors  its  makers,"  he  made 
reply.  "But  I  desire  before  presenting  my 
credentials  to  question  the  prince  -  conmiis- 
sioners." 

Some  one  tapped  Jiro  lightly  upon  the 
shoulder.  Looking  about,  he  saw  that  a 
samurai,  half  extended  through  the  window, 
had  thus  drawn  his  attention,  and  he  was' 
now  making  him  the  rx.*culiar  secret  sign  of 


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ilF  -^ r — z^-^ Lzzzr^. 


the  IniiK'riali.st,  that  of  (In.piMiij^r  suddenly 
downward  the  left  liand  with  the  httle  linLTir 
c-xtctidcd.  jiro  lookid  into  the  face  of  the 
.samurai  <lenji,  where  a  smile  of  peculiar 
nieanuiir  shone.  In  the  shock  of  surjirise, 
Jiro's  face  was  raised  so  th.a  (lenji's  eyes 
K^azed  closely  ujxtn  the  entire  contour,  as  for 
a  UKMiient  the  liair  fell  hack  from  the  youth's 
brow.  Instantly  the  smile  in  ( lenji's  face 
changed.  His  e.\i)ression  became  involved. 
In  it,  Jiro  read  surprise,  then  delight,  distrust, 
and  apprehension. 

As  Jiro's  eyes  met  (ieiiji's  attain,  the  crim- 
son [lushed  with  sudden  violence  the  lad's 
cheeks.  His  eyes  sardc.  (ienji  slipj>ed  into 
his  hand  a  tiny  roll. 

"What  is  it?"  whisi)ered  Toro. 

"dcnji,"  said  Jiro,  with  an  expression  of 
terror;  "he  recoLrnized  me." 

"Hut  what  did  he  want?" 

Then  Jiro  recalled  the  pai)er  in  his  luinds. 
lie  oi)ened  it  with  trenibliiiL;  fiimers.  It  was 
brief,  and  from  Mori,  who  had  evidently  trust- 
ed his  old  friend  (ienji  to  deliver  it  to  his  at- 
tendant Jiro. 

"  //  aught  is  said  of  the  cause,  defend!"  he 
read. 

"What  is  the  meanint;?"  .said  Toro. 

"Plainly  what  he  .says,"  returned  Jiro;  "if 
any  one  sjx^aks  ill  of  the  cau.se  I  am  to  silence 
and  confound  him." 

Toro  smiled  with  sujK'riority. 


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^ 


"Vou!'"  he  whisiKTcd;  "it  is  for  me." 
uilh  a   passionate  Jiiovetjieiit  «)f  iief^jation, 
.Jin.  tlirust  the  epistle  ifito  his  hosoni. 

"  Do  tiothiiiLr,"  iirmd  Toro;  "if  yoii  disturb 
this  LTatheriii^  you  are  as  ^j.mkI  as  dead.  For 
a  samurai  it  would  he  a  iileasintr  feat."  Torn 
swelled  m  appreciation.  "  Hut  for  you—"  He 
hroU-c  olT.  "Mori  would  not  have  asked  it  if 
he  had  known — " 

"Silence!"  whisj^red  Jiro.     "Listen." 
Several  of  the  Dutchman's  translations  had 
been  lost  by  Toro  and  Jiro,  hut  the  interpreter 
was  now  s|)cakinLr  atrain  for  the  American. 

"I  desire  to  know,"  he  .said,  "before  I  de- 
liver my  letters,  with  whom  I  am  treating— with 
what  EmiK-Tor— with  which  of  the  two?" 
The  Japanese  were  astounded. 
"\ou    are   dealing    with    the    Emperor   of 
Jaj)an,"  they  resixnided. 

"Out  there  are  two.  Which  one?" 
^^  "We  are  unable  to  explain,"  said  Aidzu; 
"we  cannot  account  for  your  strange  belief." 
"Perhaps,"  interjected  the  wily  Catzu,  "the 
Lord  Admiral  has  confounded  the  head  of  our 
relitjion  with  the  head  of  our  state." 

"  r  must  sjK'ak,"  said  Jiro,  who  was  laboring 
under  repressed  excitement.     "It  is  time." 

"Tsh-h!"  growled  Toro,  staying  his  effort 
to  rise. 

"Lot  the  prince -commissioner  continue.  I 
have  been  told  that  there  are  two  emfx.Tors 
in  this  land,  and  that  I  have  been  placed  in 


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3: 


II 


^ 


^  ^ ^  »      — ■- 


conitmmication  with  the  inferior,  who  is  witli- 
<»ut  iiuthority  to  ratify  his  acts." 

"  I  assure  you,  my  Lord  Admiral,"  said 
Catzu,  "that  you  have  fallen  into  an  error 
coiiiiiion  to  foreiLTtiers." 

"  Possihly,"  was  Perry's  brief  assent. 
"  We  ha\e  two  heads,  one  a  font  of  wi.sdom, 
the  other  of  action.  The  one  is  the  sjnritual 
head,  the  divine  ICiiiixror;  the  other  tlie  true 
ruler  and  I->iiii»eror,  with  whom  you  are  in 
comiiiiinication.  The  spiritual  heiui  is  without 
authority  in  mundane  affairs.  \'ou  make  no 
error,  for  we,  the  j)rinces  of  Japan's  real  ruler, 
tell  you  this." 

Despite  every  attemf)ted  restraint  of  Torn, 
Jiro  leajK-d  to  his  feet. 

"Thou  liest!  Thoti  knowe.st  there  is  hut 
one  true  ruler  in  .Japan,  the  Mikado!"  he 
shouted,  in  a  voice  that.  ra|)idly  a.scendin^  in 
pitch,  became  femininely  shrill. 

Every  eye  in  the  a.s.H-mlily,  foreign  and 
Japanese,  turned  ui)on  the  slight,  cpiiverinLT 
figure  there  by  the  breeze  -  swej.t  oix-'niny. 
The  Lord  of  Catzu,  still  u\Mm  his  feet,  stood 
like  a  sable  statue,  his  arm  still  held  aloft 
in  the  concluding  gesture  he  had  used  a  mo- 
ment before.  The  Prince  of  Aidzu  rcmaintxl 
in  his  chair,  seeminj.,dy  incapable  of  motion. 
The  American  Perry  alone  preser\ed  his  cotn- 
po.sure,  lookinir  from  one  to  the  other  in  a  puz- 
zled effort  to  determine  the  meaning  of  this  in- 
terruption. 


* 


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The  silence  within  the  hall  (leeiH.ned  as  the 
startled  j^aze  of  the  assctnhlane  c»>ntituittl 
fixed  uiH)n  Jiro.  So  still  was  it  that  the  voices 
of  the  siiiinirai  outside  seemed  annoyin^ly 
loud,  as  they  floated  into  the  (juiet  uikitI- 
nient. 

There  was  a  lorit;  niotiient  of  this  stunned, 
hewildcred,  yet  intense  stillness.  It  was  bro' 
K-en  by  Toro,  who,  ashamed  of  havinjr  been 
outdone  in  dann«  by  his  shuhter  companion, 
threw  himself  convulsively  into  the  focus  of 
the  cotniutny. 

^^  "Thou,  my  Lord  of  Catzu,"  he  shouted— 
"thou  K-nowest  that  the  youth  si)caks  truth, 
lia-izai  the  .Mikado!     Hanzai  Xii)iKni!" 

Another  sensational  moment!  The  samurai 
(<enji  had  placed  himself  nearer  to  the  two. 

The  Lord  of  Catzu  broke  the  sik.-11  of  won- 
derment. As  he  frowned  i)enetratini,dy  uiwi 
Toro  and  Jiro.  his  face  cleare-d  in  sudden  rc-c- 
ognition  of  his  son.  ile  rai-sed  his  arm  in 
imfK-rative  sif,'nal  to  the  samurai. 
^^  "Eject  for  me  these  fanatics,"  he  cried, 
"and  guard  them  closely." 

Instantly  the  giyantic  Genji.  leaping 
through  the  opening,  laid  a  heavy  hand 
upon  the  shoulder  of  the  youth.  Back  to  the 
opening  he  drew  them. 

"They  are  in  my  custody,  my  lord."  he 
answered. 

While  the  samurai  drew  the  struggling 
comrades  Into   the  outer  air,   there  was   the 


277 


h 


I 


cc: 


'1 


TO£-V00jr^G  Of  ViSTAR)A 


3: 


3: 


quick  hum  of  voices  over  the  assemblatre  tliat 
a  moment  ])efore  had  seemed  as  stone.  Neit^di- 
bor  conversed  with  iieit,dil)or,  the  Japanese 
in  consternation,  the  Americans  in  wonder. 

The  interpreter  rapidly  translated  to  the 
American  officer  the  words  that  had  i)assed 
between  the  commissioner  and  his  interrii]»ters. 
Some  of  the  Americans  caught  at  the  drift  of 
events  even  lK'ft>re  their  comrades  sittinuj  near 
to  the  interpreter  imdersto<Kl  the  Dutchman's 
statements  to  their  commander. 

"  'I'ears  to  me  to  be  somelhinir  to  this  two- 
kinj.^  business,"  said  a  maritie  to  his  fellow. 

"We'll  leave  our  bones  here,  sure  enough," 
was  the  jK-'ssimistic  response. 

"What  cxi)lanation  can  you  offer  of  this?" 
demanded  Perry. 

The  Lord  Catzu  lifted  his  eyeljrows. 

"Explanation!  f  do  not  explain  it.  They 
were  fanatical  priests,  madmen,  who  thought 
that  the  head  of  the  church  should  take  over 
the  direction  of  the  state.  You  have  such  in 
your  own  country?" 

The  American  was  not  satisfied  with  this 
statement.  The  interj)reter  informed  the  com- 
missioners of  this  fact.     Said  the  Lord  Catzu : 

"If  you  do  not  believe  me,  I  shall,  with  the 
concurrence  of  my  colleague,  be  obliiied  to  de- 
clare all  proceeding's  estop])cd.  I  caimot  con- 
tinue under  such  circumstances." 

The  American  saw  thus  slipjiintr  from  him 
the  reward    of  the  labor  of  months.    He  might 


c=: 


=3E= 

27« 


X 


ar 


=r^ 


.'r_.-^-,fi--^.: 


Ozjt 


•■I 


-: ^ -'f  -T~ 


:^ 


:;t 


M 


H 


be  making  a  mistake,  but  he  must  proceed  at 
once. 

"I  am  ready  to  continue,"  he  said. 

"  \'ery  well.  Vou  may  dcbvcr  your  letters 
to  the  ICmpenir  of  Japan,  "  rcs|H)nded  Catzu, 
with  trreat  diunily- 

At  a  .«it.,'n  from  Terry,  two  cabin-boys  who 
had  remained  in  tlie  ante-chamber  came  up 
the  central  aisle,  closel>-  followed  by  two  huue 
nej^roes  in  marine  dress.  The  boys  carried 
silver  and  l^oUI  salvers,  uimhi  which  rested  the 
richly  set  Lcold  boxes  containing  the  docu- 
ments signed  by  Millard  b^illmore,  President 
of  the  United  States  of  America,  asking  con- 
sideration of  a  treaty  for  open  ports. 

As  the  boys  reached  the  red-lacquered  box 
at  the  head  of  the  hall  they  st(MKl  ujxm  either 
side,  while  the  negroes  stopjKxl  between  them. 
Lifting  the  letter  receptacles  from  the  salvers, 
the  negroes  dejM)sited  them  in  the  red  chest 
indicated  by  an  aide  of  Catzu.  This  done, 
they  retreated  down  the  aisle. 

"All  is  now  done,"  said  Catzu.  "Permit 
me  to  inquire  whi.-n  your  excellency  will  re- 
turn for  an  answer." 

"In  some  months'  time,"  was  Perry's 
thoughtful  reply. 

"We  need  not  detain  you  longer,"  said  the 
conmiissioner.  "  Permit  us  to  express  our  grat- 
ification  at  meeting  you  and  our  compliments 
for  your  courtesy." 

The  American  commodore  acknowledged  the 


X 


. 


279 


tP 


TOE.VOOjiSoojf?  \;fJ3TARlA 


^ 


deep  obeisance  with  which  the  commissioners 
and  their  staffs  now  favored  him  with  a  bow 
as  courtly  and  dignified  as  their  own. 

Then  forei toners  and  Japanese  filed  out  from 
the  Treaty  House  of  Yokohama. 


, 


4 


280 


h 


ITH  the  fecundity  peculiar  to 
the  storm  and  stress  period  of  a 
nation's  history,  the  germ  al- 
most forcibly  implanted  into 
Japanese  soil  by  Comnuxlore 
Perry  waxed  strong,  came  to 
blossom,  fell  into  seed,  and 
ended  by  multiplying  itself  into 
international  form.  No  sooner 
had  two  seaports  been  opened 
through  signature  of  the  treaty 
passed  by  Perry  than  the  Eng- 
lish sought  and  obtained  the 
same  privileges.  Other  nations 
followed  the  leaders  in  time- 
liness, differing  as  to  their 
national  equation.     Then  came 

281 


* 


r 


t. 


c=^ 


the  cstaljlishnienl  of  fort-ij^n  Ic.ifations  and  the 
peiieral  intnxluction  into  Japan  of  the  hatecl 
foreifrners.  The  hermit  nation  was  no  more 
pennitted  the  luxury  of  the  solitude  which 
had  made  it  internally  strong. 

But  now  the  foreij^niers  were  cominp  to  un- 
derstand the  dual  state  of  Jajjanese  govern- 
ment. The  treaties  which  the  shoj^unate  had 
at  first  attcmi)ted  to  make  without  Imperial 
sanction  were  nominally  submitted  to  the 
Ahkado.  In  a  measure,  the  brave  daring  of 
the  boy  Jiro  was  resi)onsible  for  this  latter 
development. 

Durintr  all  this  time  Mori  had  remained  in 
Yedo  watching  the  course  of  events,  and  the 
gradual  rise  in  presti^a-  of  the  already-  power- 
ful  shopunate. 

The  pt)licy  advocated  by  Mori  was  the  same 
outlined  by  him  in  his  act  of  instruction  to 
Jiro  when  he  had  bade  the  boy  explain  to  the 
ft)reiy:ners  the  true  conditions  of  government. 
The  shoRunate  nuist  ]>e  embroiled  with  the 
foreif^n  iH)wers  in  such  a  wav  that  retaliation 
of  the  world  iK)wers  would  fall  ujK)!!  the  sho- 
jj^unate  alone,  destroyintjf  it,  while  at  a  leap 
the  Imix.>rial  party  would  return  to  ix)wer 
uixm  an  anti  Shojj^un  basis.  This  ix)licy  he 
was  foremost  in  i)ressing  ujx)n  other  lead- 
ers of  his  party,  but  without  avail.  The 
drift  of  events  was  too  uncertain  to  permit 
civil  war  at  this  time,  his  compatriots  as.serted. 

Toro  and  Jiro  did  not  share  the  Vedo  vip^il 


282 


X 


n 


H 


*f 


:2=3 


(Iri 


« 


3: 


TOE.VOOjrsGof  Vi3TAR)A 


of  Mori.  When,  ujK)n  the  evening  of  the 
Treaty  House  assemblage,  Cenji  had  broiij^^ht 
Ihein  to  Reiki's  headtiiiarters,  the  Prince  had 
received  them  as  from  tlie  i^^rasp  of  death.  The 
task  he  had  set  them,  he  knew,  meant  a  risk 
of  death,  but  even  a  samurai  of  le.sser  rank 
would  have  welcomed  a  death  decreed  by  1  le 
cause.  lie  had  t,nven  them  up  as  memories  of 
tlie  past  when  the  ^reat  denji  brout,fht  them 
l)efore  him. 

"My  prince,"  Genji  had  said,  "I  have  ever 
been  at  heart  one  of  your  i)arty.  As  an  ear- 
nest of  my  desire  to  return  to  your  alle^nance, 
I  bring  you  two  i)risoners,  committed  to  my 
hands  by  the  Lord  of  Catzu." 

The  sight  of  the  samurai  (Jenji  had  called 
back  into  the  hfe  and  soul  of  Mori  things  he 
had  put  aside  as  unfitting  his  consecration  to 
the  cause.  Nevertheless,  he  received  him  glad- 
ly, and  made  no  objection  to  the  i)roix)sal  of 
the  samurai  ihat  he  should  be  permitted  to  go 
with  Toro  and  Jiro  to  the  Mori  fortress,  since 
longer  residence  in  Yedo  was  unsafe  for  the 
two  who  had  exhibited  themselves  before  the 
choice  gathering  of  the  Shogun's  followers  at 
the  Treaty  House.  So  it  was  that  for  a  time 
Mori  remained  alone  in  Yedo. 

The  continued  p.resence  in  the  Shogun's  city 
oi  one  known  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  land  as  the  Imjxjrialist  leader 
could  not  in  the  nature  of  events  remain  un- 
known   to    the    authorities.     On    several    oc- 


=3: 


^«3 


X 


ii 


E 


— i~ 


X 


* 


casions  he  was  pressed  so  hard  that  he  found 
an  fxxasional  sojourn  outside  of  Vedo  im- 
peralive.  It  was  upon  his  return  from  one 
of  these  flitlinys  that  the  Prnice  Mori  found 
strani^e  news  awaiting  him. 

The  Slioi^aui  lyesada  was  dead.  The  choice 
of  a  successor  devolvinj.^  uiK)n  the  Recent  li,  a 
man  said  to  be  of  low  birth,  the  wishes  of  a  con- 
^  siderable  number  of  the  shogunate  following 
had  been  i^Miored.  Kii,  a  boy  of  twelve,  had 
been  selected  by  the  I^egent. 

To  mak-e  a  show  of  boasted  [)ower  before 
the  foreij^rners,  now  always  jjressing  for  trea- 
ty i)rivilei;es,  the  I^ej^ent  li  had  ratified  with 
them  a  treaty  then  j)endinfj,  afterwards  report- 
ing it  tardily  to  the  Emperor  at  Kioto. 

Instantly  the  city  rang  witli  protest,  and, 
following  it,  the  country. 

"This  li  would  remain  alone  with  a  boy 
Shogun!"  cried  the  nobles  of  both  parties. 

Mori  despatched  instantly  to  his  fortress 
couriers  who  convej'ed  orders  to  Toro  that 
a  considerable  body  of  Mori's  troops  should 
l)roceed  at  once  to  Ycdo.  Before  their  arrival, 
however,  a  crisis  had  been  reached. 

Ronins  in  great  numbers  had  visited  the  Im- 
perialist iK-adquarters,  urging  instant  action. 
These  rowing  samurai,  having  renounced  all 
allegiance  to  their  own  lords,  had  become  free 
agents  (ronins),  and  had  sworn  never  to  return 
to  their  homes  until  the  shotjunate  was  over- 
thrown. 


284 


cc 


^ 


4^ 


One  Hasuda  headed  a  party  that  S()iij4;ht  t)ut 
the  Prince  Mori. 

"Let  every  foreign  Ic^'ation  be  l)urned  this 
nijj;ht,"  urj^etl  Hasuda.  "Let  us  drive  into 
the  seas  tho.se  doj^^s  wlio  already  have  de- 
layed our  action  too  hm^.  Let  it  be  done 
to-iiiirht." 

"Xo,"  .said  Mori,  firmly.  "Do  not  let  your 
acts,  which  hitherto,  in  .spite  of  their  lawless- 
ness, have  been  tinj^ed  with  patriotism,  be 
tainted  by  such  action  as  you  now  projKxse. 
The  function  of  a  patriot  is  not  that  of  a.s.sas- 
sination,  but  of  honest  warfare.  He  coun- 
selled by  me.  Do  nothim:  yet  awhile.  Wait! 
My  men  are  on  the  march.  They  cannot  ar- 
rive for  some  days.  When  they  have  come, 
and  when  our  Mikado  has  uive»i  us  the  sig- 
nal, let  us  then  attack  and  exj)el  these  for- 
eign barbarians." 

"No,  no,"  insisted  Hasuda,  whose  sword 
itched  for  action;  "the  Mikado  is  influenced 
by  those  about  him  who  are  hostile  to  us.  He 
dare  not." 

"Only  by  his  order  will  I  attack  the  foreign- 
ers," Mori  insisted. 

"He  will  not  speak,"  said  Hasuda. 

"He  will,"  said  Mori.  "I  have  assurances 
to  that  cfTect." 

Hasuda  altered  his  plea. 

"But,  your  highness,"  he  urged,  "what  I 
now  advocate  is  j-our  own  iK)licy.  The  sho- 
gunate  is  resimnsible  to  the  foreigners  for  the 

3.         -y         T       ..ar       at  j 


II 


2&S 


-5 


3f  %  ^S-  ^  Xz 


& 


!» 


f 


peace.     Destroy  their  le^iitions  and  their  wrath 
will  descend  ii|K)n  the  shotfunate. " 

"Listen;  I  will  not  stooj)  to  massacre,  but  I 
promise  you  that  uj)on  the  order  of  tlie  ICm- 
jx.Tor  I  will  fire  at  once  uiM)n  their  fleets  and 
make  warfare  an^ainst  them.  " 

The  ronin  Ilasuda  smiled  slyly,  as  with  a 
gesture  of  resii^^nation  he  threw  his  arms  aside. 

"  Vour  highness,"  he  said,  "  be  it  .so.  I  con- 
sent, upon  one  condition,  (io  thou  to  Kio- 
to. 01)tain  at  once  audience  with  the  Son 
of  Heaven.  Secure  his  consent.  Thou  hast 
means  within  the  palace  to  reach  him  safely. 
Do  so,  then.     I  will  await  your  return." 

"Agreed,"  answered  Mori. 

Within  a  few  moments  his  norimon  was 
carrying  him  out  of  Vedo. 

Two  ronins  joined  Ilasuda  near  the  head- 
quarters half  an  hour  later. 

"Vour  news?"  he  demanded. 

"The  Prince  of  Mori  is  on  the  highway  to 
Kioto." 

"(ioo<l!     Then  let  the  bands  separate." 

The  several  hundred  ronins,  divided  into 
parties  of  some  six  or  seven,  set  out  in  various 
directions.  Two  hours  later  they  were  in  the 
shadow  of  the  Sakurada  gate  of  the  Shogun's 
palace. 

A  spy  from  the  interior  made  his  re|K)rt  to 
Hasuda.  It  was  accom|)iinied  by  many  gest- 
iires  directed  towards  the  wide  path  which  led 
through  the  garden  to  the  palace  within. 


au 


=3E= 

286 


X 


^ 


z:i:i3 


c4 


^ 


f 


W 


c=S= 


TOE.WOOjr^C  o/?  N^iSTAPJA 


A  stately  pnKcssion  was  jwissin)^  down  the 
KJirden  jvith  and  had  taken  the  road.  It  was 
the  c«.rt6t:e  of  the  IJaron  li  Kainon-no-Kaini, 
the  haled  Hetrent  of  Japan.  Only  his  ordi- 
nary train  of  attendants  and  samurai  accom- 
panied him.  Ab.sorbed  in  their  own  personal 
rcllections,  they  were  apparently  without  sus- 
picion of  a  plaimed  a.s.sault. 

Ilasuda,  in  the  shadow  of  the  pate  and  the 
farther  shadow  of  the  cedars  which  bent  their 
branches  over  the  walls,  raised  his  sword. 

"Now,"  he  whisi)ered,  in  a  soft,  fK'netratin>.j 
voice,  insistent  as  the  hiss  of  a  seri)ent.  From 
the  shadows  of  the  walls  auaitist  which  they 
had  st(MKl  ronins  leajK-d  ujxjn  the  samurai  and 
attendants  about  the  norimon  of  li.  These 
uave  way  instantly,  .some  were  kdled  outri^^ht, 
others  wounded,  while  still  others  were  left 
ent,fa^ed  in  deadly  strife  with  ronin  adver- 
saries. 

"Qiiit-'k!     Forward'"  urj^ed  Ilasuda. 

A  chosen  body  spumj,'  out  from  the  ronin 
rank's,  and  surrounding  the  norimon  of  the 
Reu^ent,  drew  him  with  rouL,di  hands  out  into 
the  road.  They  drauued  him  before  Ilasu- 
da. Within  the  palace  a  cry  of  alarm  rang 
throuf^h  the  night,  followed  by  the  hurried 
mustering  of  troops. 

Outside  the  Sakurada  gate,  however,  the 
numerous  ronins,  showing  no  sign  of  fear, 
l)roceeded  leisurely.  li  had  fallen  uf)on  his 
knees.     His  mute  lips  moved   in   prayers  for 


X 


5=3 


\ 


25/- 


1= 


II 


t^S-ff ^ ~-ic=i y         1=: 


O: 


^ 


rf 


mercy,  though  no  sound  escuiK-d  thciu.     His 
lips  were  livid,  his  eyes  glazed. 

At  what  secincd  this  manifestation  of  cow- 
ardice the  romns.  outlawed  samurai  as  they 
were,  lauuhed  scornfully.  They  would  have 
<lied'unllinchint,dy.     li    was    not   of  samurai 

IdoiKl. 

"Death    to    the    traitor!"    roared    a    ronin 

chorus. 

"Ay,"  replied  Ilasuda— "death!"  Then  to 
the  Retfent:  "  li,  thou  art  a  traitor.  Rise  and 
receive  sentence." 

li  seemed  paralyzed  with  fear. 

"Let  him  die,"  said  Ilasuda. 

"  Let  him  die,"  growled  the  ronins. 

Ilasuda  sent  a  keen  glance  over  his  ranks. 
He  said,  quickly: 

"Let  a  samurai  volunteer  as  executioner, 
but  let  him  remember  that  he,  too,  must  die, 
that  no  Sho^un  follower  may  punish  him." 

A  Krim,  middle-aged  ronin  pushed  forward. 

"I  was  of  Satsuma,"  he  said;  "that  is  all 
you  need  know  of  me." 

"Do  thy  oflice,"  commanded  Ilasuda. 

The  samurai  thereujion  forced  the  Regent 
to  his  knees,  where  he  cringed  trembhng  and 
shivering.  The  sword  of  the  samurai  hissed, 
curved ,  shone,  shot  through  the  air.  The  head 
of  li  lay  upon  the  ground. 

Ilasuda  then  spoke: 

"  That  no  malice  may  be  imputed  to  us,  use 
thy  second  sword." 


t 


F^ 


G^>r3F 


k 


«• 


H 


^ 


^ 


^ 


ar :r-  ^ 1- 


Without  a  word  the  Satsunic't  samurai  drew 
his  sceotid  sword  from  his  hch.  The  hilt  he 
rested  ujk)!!  the  j^routid.  In  an  instarit  he  fell 
u|M)n  its  |K)iiit. 

The  ronius  left  tlie  vicinity  of  the  |>idace, 
earryniLf  the  head  of  li  with  tliein.  This  they 
nailed  to  a  |M)st  in  a  iiuhlie  phue  of  the  city. 

In  a  short  tune,  froin  the  neuly  established 
foreign  tjuarter  of  \e(lo,  llanies  lea|H.(l  forth  in 
destruction  of  the  le^Mtmns.  Many  foreiisMiers 
found  Japanese  uraves  that  ni^ht. 

\'et,  strange  inconsistency  I  the  ronins,  still 
under  the  direction  of  Hasuda,  went  alx)ut 
everywhere,  cryint^:  "Down  with  the  foreign- 
ers!    Lonu  live  the  Sho^unl" 

Those  foreigners  who  escaped  helievcxl  that 
the  Shouun  had  ordered  the  night's  horrors 

At  the  hour  of  dawn  I  lasuda  wiped  his  sw( 
on  a  foreij^Mi  fabric.     As  the  nu^rninj,'  breezt 
from  the  \)uy  cooled  his  tired  brow  he  laughed 
gritnly. 

"  Ah,"  he  exclaimed,  "  what  the  nol)le  Prince 
of  Mori  could  not  countenance  himself  has 
been  accomplished;  and,  being  accomplished, 
I  shall  lind  in  him  no  oi)en  friend,  it  is  true, 
but  no  sworn  enemy." 

The  roar  of  guns  came  faintly  to  his  ears. 

"To-morrow — to-morrow!"  he  nuised,  with 
a  chuckle.  "  Nay,  to-<lay,  the  wrath  of  the  for- 
eigners will  descend  upon  the  shogunate — the 
innocent  shogunate.     Decidedly,  it  is  droll." 


4 


HE 


f- 


^ 


iP 


Gz^i;=3 


ft 


TOe.VOOij>iG  o/?  N^iSTARiA 


2t 


3: 


T  was  ni^ht  when  the  runners 
of  the  Prince  Mori's  noriinon, 
havint^  travelled  the  hij^hway 
to  its  tratetl  termination,  en- 
tered Kioto.  Uncertain  as  to  his 
exact  course,  the  Prince  was 
settled  u|K)n  one  thinj^ — haste 
— haste  to  arrive  in  the  nei^h- 
borh(MKl  of  the  Mikado's  ]mx\- 
ace,  that  he  nii)j;ht  plan  in  the 
shadows  liis  future  actions. 

He  had  passed  through  the 
city's  gates,  and  with  new  cries 
to  his  runners  was  again  urging 
them  forward,  when  a  cloaked 
fi;^'ure,  holding  in  one  hand  a 
naked    sword,    barred     to    the 

*         -      r     J  A 


^ 


1 


Crit- 


p 


3E= 

291 


X 


* 


noriiiion  farllicr  |«issaiL,'(.v  Tlic  ruiitUTs  .stu|>- 
|>c'(l  al)ru|»tly.  Im|«ilitntly  Mori  thrust  his 
head  through  the  curtains. 

"What  now,  you  lam,'ards^"  he  demanded, 
m  no  uentle  voice. 

At  the  sound  of  Mori's  words  the  man  in  the 
roadwav  uttered  a  crv  of  surprise. 

"Thou,  Mori!" 

"  What  then?"  inquirctl  the  I'rince,  defiantly, 
l)reparini;  to  leap  to  the  ground,  sword  in  hand. 

"  It  is  I,  ICchizen.  I  will  join  you  in  your 
norimon." 

"  (I(kk1  !"  said  Mt)ri.  "  Ir^ently  I  need  your 
advice. " 

I-)chizen  climbed  into  the  vehicle  quickly. 
With  a  swift  movement  he  drew  Mori's  cloak 
about  his  shoulders  in  such  a  way  that  it  hid 
his  face. 

"There  is  dantrer  in  Kioto  for  you,"  he  said. 
"Just  now  as  I  j)assed,  the  sound  of  your 
voice  instructing  your  runners  struck  me  with 
its  familiar  tones.  When  you  raised  your 
voice  I  recoL^nized  you  immediately.  Vou 
must  be  more  careful,  my  lord." 

"Why  should  there  be  danuer  for  me  in 
Kioto?"  inquired  Keiki,  quickly.  "1  am  in 
my  Em[)eror's  capital  now." 

"  But  the  massacres  you  have  just  institjated 
in  Yedo  are  beinj^  used  to  your  disadvantaj^je. 
Aidzu  has  come  to  Kioto  two  hours  ahead  of 
you,  and  all  is  known  to  his  Ma  jest}'. " 

"  Massacres!" 


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"Are  you  ignorant  of  thcin?" 

"  Vou  do  not  mean — "  Kciki  luiuscd,  a 
suspicion  of  llasuda  dawnini^  upon  him. 
"Massacres  bv  the  ronins?"' 

"Yes." 

The  Prince  of  Mori  t^roaned. 

"llasuda,  the  chief  ronin,  "  he  said,  "has 
broken  his  pledged  word  to  me."  He  ex- 
])lained  briefly  to  Echizen  his  compact  with 
llasuda. 

The  Prince  of  I'^chizen  had  received  a  courier 
who  came  on  horseback  l)Ut  lialf  an  hour  prior 
to  Mori's  arrival,  lie  came  shortly  after  the 
arrival  of  Aidzu,  who  was  closeted  with  the 
Emj)eror.  The  courier's  only  definite  news 
wa.s  that  the  ReLCent  li  had  been  assassinated 
and  the  fvreitrn  legations  burned  by  a  band 
of  ronins  imder  llasuda,  acluiu,  it  was  be- 
heved,  under  ^k)ri's  orders.  The  ronins  had 
pretended  to  be  the  Sbo^un's  men. 

The  latter  information  i)leased  Mori. 

"Goodl"  he  .said;  "the  foreigners  will  laj' 
the  blame  u]X)n  the  shogunate. " 

Echizen  leaned  from  the  norimon. 

"Proceed  slowly,''  he  told  tbe  ruimer,  "in 
that  direction,"  j)ointin£r  to  a  quarter  of  the 
town  distant  from  the  Im|KTial  palace. 

"We  must  adoj)t  some  i)lan  of  action,"  he 
contiinied  to  Keiki.  "These  outbreaks,  which 
I  at  first  thought  were  at  your  order,  will  have 
fearful  conseciuences.  We  nuist  plan  to  turn 
them  to  account  with  the  EmiMjror. 


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"But  he  already  knows  of  the  massiicrcs. " 

"Assuredly.  Aid/.u  is  trovenior  of  the  city, 
and  a  i)erson  of  inlluence  willi  him.  He  will 
use  the  Vedo  massacres  to  your  disadvantage. " 

"But  Aidzu  is  a  sho^unate. " 

"True;  but  lately  he  has  ^one  over  to  the 
Emperor.  He  is  still  at  heart  a  shot,amate. 
It  is  Ijy  the  order  of  the  Shouun  that  he  has 
come  to  the  Mikado's  court,  in  fact.  I  le  is  both 
a  spy  and  an  influence  upon  the  Cmj)eror  for 
the  sho)ujunate. " 

"How  do  you  know  all  the.se  thinj^s?"  in- 
quired Keiki. 

"Since  I  left  you  in  Yedo,"  replied  P^chizen, 
"I  have  made  consideraljle  progress  in  the 
favor  of  tlie  EmjK-ror,  all  for  the  sake  of  the 
cause.     I  try  to  set  myself  against  Aidzu." 

"Well,  and  what  is  the  dis|M)sition  of  the 
Emperor  towards  my  wing  of  the  party?  What 
does  he  desire  us  to  do?  What  attitude  should 
we  take  towards  the  foreigners  and  the  sho- 
gunate  at  this  time?  I  have  a  purfxjse  in  these 
questions." 

Echizen  looked  thoughtfully  towards  the 
east,  where  the  offshoots  of  the  still  distant 
day  were  charging  the  rear-guard  of  night. 

".My  prince,"  he  said,  slowly,  "I  feel  that 
this  day  will  ])e  a  decisive  one  in  our  annals. 
I  feel  that  there  is  a  great  opixjrlunity  to  be 
born  a  new  nation  to-day." 

"Si)eak  on,"  said  Mori. 

"  The  Emperor  Kommei  is,  of  course,  desir- 


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ous  of  regaining;  the  jx)\ver  once  1.  Id  by  his 
ancestors.  Ho  knows,  as  an  educated  man, 
that  the  shominate  has  no  le^fitiinate  ri^^ht  to 
existence.  Ihit  he  is  a  man  of  two  natures. 
Fear,  which  is  not  cowardice,  and  suspicion, 
whicli  is  not  discretion,  is  his  ruhntj  motive, 
lie  is  surrounded  by  sho^nniate  s})ies.  Every 
effort  he  has  made  up  to  this  time  to  com- 
municate willi  us  has  been  frustrated.  Were 
he  to  })ut  trust  in  a  sanuirai  and  think  of 
.sendinj^  him  as  a  messen«:er  to  us,  the  sho- 
j^'unate  strai^htw;  v  removed  that  .samurai." 

"By  tlie  sword,  of  cour.se." 

"  Hy  .secret  meatis.  In  time  the  Emperor 
Kommei  came  to  bebeve  that  the  shogunate 
held  his  life  in  its  hands,  as  it  has.  He  came 
to  distrust  all  men.  He  trusts  neither  Aidzu, 
his  enemy,  nor  me,  his  friend." 

"What  of  the  foreitrners?" 

"  I  believe  that  he  would  desire  above  all 
thinfjjs  to  issue  an  order  for  their  exjmlsion, 
and  encouray:e  us  secretly  to  make  v.'ar  ujxm 
the  shotrunate,  convinced  as  he  is  that  his 
life  and  the  very  oflice  of  I'^miKTor  are  at  stake. " 

"Could  he  be  brought  to  give  us  secret  in- 
structions?" 

"He  mieht,"  returned  Echizen,  dubiously, 
"but  su:h  is  the  temper  of  the  man  that,  while 
bidding  us  make  war  U]>on  the  shogunate,  he 
would  also  warn  us  that  if  the  shogunate 
prevailed  he  could  do  nothing  for  us — he 
would  leave  us  to  die." 


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With  knotted  brows,  Mori  considered  ionj^^. 
Then : 

"  Vou  think  Aidzu  is  endcavorinti  at  tliis 
moment  to  discredit  me  with  the  Emjieror  hy 
layinjir  responsibihty  for  Ilasiida  at  nij'dcjor?" 

"Yes,  this  very  instatU." 

Mori  leaned  out  from  the  norimon  and  sip^ned 
to  the  runners.     They  haUed. 

"One  question  more,'  he  said  to  Echizen. 
"  Have  you  convenient  access  to  the  I-^mi)eror?" 

"-At  any  hour,"  I^chizen  answered.  Mori 
bent  towards  the  runners. 

"Full  s{)ced,"  he  cried,  "to  the  Emix-Tor's 
paUice." 

The  norimon  started  ahead. 

"To  the  Emj)eror's  palace?"  rciK'ated 
Echizen.    "What  are  you  .^oin^j  to  do?" 

"To  confront  Aidzu,  my  accu.scr,  and  urj.ie 
the  EmjKjror  to  cx|K'1  the  forei^mers,"  said 
Mori. 

"  Perhaps  it  is  the  best  course,"  answered 
Echizen,  slowly. 

"It  is  the  opiwrtunity  of  which  you  siK:)ke," 
said  Mori.  "  The  opportunity  for  which  I  have 
long  waited." 


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J  IK  irroup  of  l)uildini?s  set  with- 
in tlic  wiillcd  enclosure  known 
as  the  Enij)eror's  i)alace  was 
not  surrounded  as  were  many 
feudal  castles  of  the  daiinios, 
and  indeed  other  of  the  Imperial 
I  residences,  hy  a  deep  moat  of 
stagnant  water.  The  poetic 
tenii)erament  of  a  people  who 
had  returned  to  the  jnire  Shinto 

J^  religion,  which  made  Jai)an  a 
land  of  t(ods  whose  chief  was  the 
Em]ieror,  would  not  permit  the 
Kioto  jialace  to  resem])le  a  for- 

^  tress.  It  seemed  rather  a  temple, 
in  the  atmosphere  created  in  out- 
side eves  bv  its  carved  exterior. 


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The  whole  interior  j:jroiinds,  in  which  were 
the  residence  hiiildint^s,  were  sepanited  frotn 
the  city  streets  only  by  a  lieavy  wall,  rectan- 
gular in  its  completed  course.  Within,  the 
foliijt^e,  set  Ijack  from  the  street,  rose  hi^h 
above  the  walls,  interminirled  with  an  oc- 
casional roof-top. 

The  wall  was  entered  at  intervals  by  ^uard- 
ea  j^^ales,  whose  porticos  protruded  into  the 
street.  Set  out  into  the  street,  upon  a  broad 
sl(jne  platform,  api)roached  by  a  nudtitude  of 
tiny  stei)s,  were  two  tall  jullars,  about  each  of 
which  twined,  car\ed  in  the  material  it.self,  a 
scaly  serpent.  Above  the  serf)ent,  in  a  carvexl 
y:alaxy  f)f  death,  were  the  claws,  heads,  and 
bones  of  wild  beasts.  Between  the  i)illars  and 
the  edj,a>  of  the  wall,  and  forming  the  sides  of 
the  jwrtico,  were  two  S(]uare,  wooden  panels, 
ui>on  which  were  carved  dragons,  trumpets, 
and  the  lonj^- curved,  bodied  stork.  Resting 
ui)on  the  top  of  the  carved  pillars  and  extend- 
ing over  the  wall  was  the  sinuous  roof,  each 
of  whose  lines  seemed  a  snake  curled  in  its 
tortuous  travel  path. 

The  roof,  made  of  highly  olishi.-d  bamboo, 
but  jireservinL;-  its  natural  form,  the  little  loi?s 
beini.,^  laid  side  by  side,  swept  up  to  a  curling 
ix)int.  Over  the  portico  entrance  of  the  gates, 
two  carved,  hideously  grim  faces  leered  into 
the  faces  of  any  descending  the  steps.  Still 
higher  up,  under  the  shadow  of  the  gabled 
roof,  was  the  i)ortriiit.  of  the  Enii)eror. 


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The  buildintrs  within,  set  in  their  ^iirtlens 
and  pleasure  j^rounds,  had  in  tlieir  r(M)f  hues 
the  ai)pearance  of  the  j;,Mtes.  They  were  of 
two  or  three  stories,  over  eacli  of  which  a  >^a- 
hled,  curiously  wrought  slulf  ])r(>jected  from 
tlie  sides,  as  a  shield  froni  the  weather.  The 
windows,  small  and  narrow,  were  set  together 
ill  pairs.  In  the  cejitre  of  each  lontc  side  on 
the  lower  floor  a  ])rojectin^  anule,  covered  by  a 
triangular  roof,  made  a  sort  of  bay-window. 
Sliding  screens  ^ave  admittance  to  the  rooms 
within. 

Ik'fore  the  carved  Kate  in  the  eastern  wall 
the  norimon  that  had  brought  the  Prince  of 
Mori  from  Vedo  di.schar^ed  its  passengers. 
Echizen  and  Mori  passed  into  the  interior. 
Otice  within,  Mori,  who  had  approached  the 
structure  with  the  feelings  of  a  devout  Japan- 
ese, saw  that  the  builditij^s  were  set  closely 
together,  makint^  an  inner  rectangular  court, 
in  whose  exact  centre  a  house  more  pretentious 
than  its  neiy;hbors  stood.  This  he  took  to  be 
the  residence  of  Konunei  Tcnno,  the  Mikado. 

To  his  surprise,  Echizen  directed  his  way 
towards  a  small  edifice  set  quite  without  the 
(quadrangle,  and  of  a  style  more  simple  and 
humble  than  any  within  the  grounds. 

"  Why  are  we  going  this  way?"  Mori  asked. 
"The  Mikado  must  reside  there,"  indicating 
the  house  within  the  rectangidar  circle. 

"He  should  live  there,  it  is  true,  for  that  is 
the  oflicial  residence  of  his  Majesty:  but  being 


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a  suspicious  man,  he  lives  in  the  house  least 
suited  to  be  his  residence,"  returned  Hchizen. 
As  if  in  keej)in£j  with  tlie  supiK.sed  inco^rnito 
character  of  the  house,  there  were  no  >,'uards 
hefore  it,  while  the  front  of  the  oflicial   resi- 
dence was  crowded  with  sword-wearers. 
At  the  threshold  Mori  i)aused. 
"Come,"  said  ICchizen. 
"Hut  a  moment/'  Mori  said,  in  a  low  tone 
whose  last  sound  died  away  in  a  note  of  sad, 
proj)hetic  fear. 

He  raisetl  his  eyes  to  the  trees  leafint;  in 
the  enclosure,  and  then  to  the  skies.  The 
ni.trht  mists  had  passed  away,  it  is  true,  from 
the  sitrht,  but  there  was  in  the  air  a  moistness 
which  the  feebly  awakened  sun-ravs  had  not 
yet  dissipated.  A  tear  of  exi)ectation  st(H)d 
in  nature's  eye.  Calm  and  peaceful  the  day 
was  dawnintr,  without  a  sound  to  rufile  the 
gentle  awakeninu:  of  drow.sy  n^iture.  The 
purple- yellow  tints  crept  up  from  bcvond  the 
horizon,  touchinj::  the  to|)s  of  trees  and  build- 
ni^rs  in  soft  si,t,rn  of  a  later  imi)erative  sign  of 
action. 

Mori  bared  his  head.  As  he  stocxl  there, 
the  longing  of  the  patriotic  soul  surging 
through  his  bcxly  until  his  hands  tintrled  to  do 
noble  deeds,  the  winds  gently  laved  his  brow 
in  the  C(K)ling  of  unalterable  nature  Mori 
was  praying  to  his  gods,  for  his  country,  to 
the  war-god  if  need  be,  and  to  Kwannon,  the 
goddess  of  mercy. 


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Then,  at  the  kiss  of  the  wind,  a  mood,  a 
thou);fht,  a  picture  came  to  Mori,  overw liehn- 
inis'  in  its  iK)tency.  The  Lady  Wistaria!  The 
Lady  Uistaria!  Iler  name  SL-emed  to  sint,''  in 
his  brain.  In  a  flash  of  thouulil  he  reahzed 
that,  however  fierce  the  action,  however  ^reat 
the  strivint;,  however  com|)lete  the  attainment, 
there  was  no  joy  in  hfe  or  death  ever  for  him. 
The  cahn  of  accomphslniient  meant  tlie  wreck 
of  ho{)e. 

With  a  fierce  attack  iijion  this  memory, 
Mori  drove  his  facuUies  hack  to  their  duty. 

"I  am  ready,"  he  said. 

The  two  ])assed  within. 

A  sort  of  conlidential  valet  stoi)i)ed  them  in 
the  ante-clvmber.     lie  sa'd  : 

"The  Serene  Son  of  Heaven  is  closeted  witii 
my  Lord  of  Aidzu." 

He  turned,  indicatintr  <»  closed  door. 

"Vou  sec,"  whispered  ICchizen,  when  the 
servant's  back  was  turned — "you  see  they 
have  lost  no  time." 

Then  to  the  servant : 

"  Vou  ma\'  announce  to  his  Majesty  that  it 
is  I,  the  Prince  of  l^chizen." 

As  the  servant  disapj)eared  behind  the  door, 
Mori,  on  who.se  brow  a  sliirht  contraction  had 
come,  seizing  I'^chizen  roughly  by  the  arm, 
forced  him  into  the  chamber  beyond,  the  secret 
resort  of  the  Emperor  Ivommei  Tenrio. 

At  the  noise  of  their  entrance  the  slight  man 
who  had  been  pacing  uj)  and  down  the  cham- 


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l>er  tiirnul  in  nervous  apiwhension,  his  hand 
SLvkiiiii:  uncertainly  the  naked  da^trer  at  his 
waist.  Tlie  Prince  Aidzu  uianitained  the  iH)si- 
tion  assumed  hy  liini  varher  in  the  interrupted 
uiterview.  lie  was  standint,'  easily  in  an  at- 
titude of  aj)parent  assurance.  An  evil  smile, 
meant  for  i:chi/en,  played  over  his  feattire.s 
as  he  retjarded  the  future  premier  and  his 
present  rival,  for  the  di.sconcertinj^  smile  of 
my  Lord  Aidzu  was  a  trick  usual  with  him 
whenever  an  enemy  surprised  him  with  his 
master.  It  was  meant  to  convey  to  an  in- 
truder nitimation  of  an  understandinif  which 
miuht  not  have  heen  reached  i)rior  to  the  in- 
terruption. Echizen  met  it  with  the  greatest 
indilTerencc. 

I'or  the  first  time  in  his  short  period  of  vigor- 
ous  elTort  in  behalf  of  his  Mikado.  Mori  stood 
r     >n  the  presence  of  the  man  who  was  the  focus 
and  culmination,  the  terminal  jxiint,  of  his  most 
honored    i)rinciple.     He    .saw    a    slit^dit    form 
which  could  not  he  the  bodily  temple  of  the 
\\    vitality   of   genius.     It   was   that   of   a    man 
.sc£trcely  beyond  the  thirties,  yet  there  was  no 
promi.se  of   the   develojnntr  years.     The  feat- 
ures,  howe\er,  were   delicately   modelled,  the 
turn  of  the  ankles  and  hr-nds  were  exquisite. 
About  the  whole  manifest  personality  of  the 
nian  there  was  the  subtle  stamp  of  elTeminacy. 
The  hand,  the  intelli),rence  within   *he  eye- 
neither  Leave  hint  of  action.     The  brain  could 
not  conceive,  the  hand  could  not  execute. 


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"Poor  lost,  fKKir  betrayed  cause  of  Jn]yan," 
would  have  been  the  fornudatiou  of  Mori's 
conclusion  as  these  details,  teini)cTed  hy  re- 
flection, c;!<iie  to  him. 

Then  there  jtassed  thronL;h  his  mind  from 
the  little,  hidden  house  of  memory  all  those 
tales  he  had  heard  whisfjered  in  secret.  The 
Sho)^nin  had  i)red  the  ICmperor  in  indolence, 
in  effeminate  luxury,  so  that  the  war  lord  of 
the  -Mikado  miuht  overwhelm  his  master  in 
the  dwarfing  shadow  of  real  attainment. 
There  was  no  hoix.-  in  this  man.  Yet  the 
l)rincii)Ie  was  j^rcater  than  the  man,  and  it 
was  a  violation  of  the  principle  that  had  in- 
gulfed the  man. 

These  thoughts  passed  rapidly  through 
Mori's  mind  as  he  i)roslrated  hmiself  before 
the  Mikado. 

"  Oh,  it  is  you,  Echizen. "  The  voice,  small, 
without  interest,  broke  uiKm  Mori.  "Whom 
have  you  there  with  you?" 

"Your  hij,dine.ss,"  answered  Echizen,  with 
every  token  of  the  deepest  respect,  "I  hep  to 
present  to  you  Keiki,  the  Prince  of  Mori." 

Mori,  who  was  still  on  his  knees,  touched 
the  floor  with  his  head,  and  remained  for  a 
moment  in  this  humble  attitude  before  his 
sovereijrn.  When  he  raised  his  head  and  look- 
ed towards  the  Mikado  he  i)erceived  at  once  that 
he  was  frowning,  while  he  made  a  peculiar 
movement  of  understanding  in  Aidzu's  direc- 
tion, i)erceiving  which  the  latter  shrugged  his 


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shoulders.  Then,  with  the  (krisivo  cutting 
of  nervous  fear,  the  voice  of  the  .Mikatlo  broke 
the  Kiip  of  .silence. 

"  We  were  .si)e.'ii<inir  of  you  ju.st  now,  Tritice 
of  Mori,"  he  .said,  with  a  .sini.ster  note  in  his 
Voice. 

The  evil  .smile  again  cro.s.sed  Aidzus  coun- 
tenance. 


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FOR  ;i  nidincnl  (here  was  con- 
sternation ill  the'  hivasts  of  the 
two  iiKii.  .M,,ri  and  i:c}ii/.cn, 
while  the  haklul  persoiiahly  of 
Aiilzii,  seeiinnt:  to  expand  on 
winus  of  hate.  (hlTus-d  iise!f 
throui^'hout  the  room. 

Mori  ansueral  hifore  Feliizen 
could   imerjeet   a    word. 

"  ^  ou    h(»nored    me    hy    your 

^attention,     your    .Majesty,'*    lie 

said,  while  still  iiixmhis  knees. 

'■  Say  rather  dishonored,"  said 

Aidzu  under  his  breath. 

"Mori,"  said  the  MiK'ado, 
with  an  effort  at  p^reat  stern- 
ness, "you  have  dared  to  mur- 


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tier  the  Recent  Fi.  t.»  l.nrn  the  trc.-.tv  houses 
and  lc^.-,ti.,„.s  (,f  the  •orcii,'ncT.s.  What  have 
you  to  s,-,y  for  yourself?" 

"Oh,  your  .Majesty!"  was  all  Mori  could 
fxclawu,  hetweeu  h.s  desire  t<.  retau,  his  re- 
si>c-clful  att.l.ule  a.id  h.s  unpulse  to  ,n»test 
j.^'.-nnst  such  M.just.ce  fro.r.  the  one  for  whon, 
ne  had   labored  lou^ 

"Xo  douht/'  eoutinued  the  ^hl<ado,  "y,.u 
h.n^.  come  to  n.e  thM.k,nf,r  \  .shall  coiuiteuance 
MJch  an  act,  and  to  ask  f(,r  prolcvtion  and 
mercy  r 

Mori  sprantr  to  his  feet.  Everv  nerve  in 
Jum  was  tmuhni,'  and  quiverini;.  He  heedetl 
not  the  traditional  etiquette  to  be  observed 
i>cfore  the  Son  of  Heaven,  wherebv  no  man 
niust  look  the  Ahkado  in  the  face.  'Mori  was 
of  princely  blo^Kl  himself,  and  of  a  lineatrc  as 
proud  and  old  as  his  master's.  So  his  own 
fyes,  keen  and  true  as  tho.se  of  a  brave  and 
imuKrent  man,  met  the  shifting  t'lance  of 
Komi?iei  Teiuio 

"Xay,  your  .Majesty;  I  come  not  to  ask  for 
n.ercy,  but  for  justice." 
"Justice?" 

"J^y.  your  Majesty." 

"But  you  have  committed  these  atrocious 
crimes."  .said  the  Mikado,  his  j^lance  wander- 
nitr  uneasily  from  Aidzu  to  Mori,  "and  these 
crimes  will  bring  ujjon  us  the  vengeance  of 
these  foreign  peoples." 
"I  have  committed   no  crimes,  your  Maj- 


Ctr^n.-?.- Sir       -     — 7^_  — -qf-  :z ri 


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t'sty.  I  am  iiinoct'iil  (»f  that  ci  wliicli  yen 
accuse  inc. " 

ICchi/cii  iiUcrrui)tc(l  (luictly. 

"  \'()iir  Majesty,  I  du  assure  you  tliat  llu 
I'lince  Mori  is  tcuiltless. " 

Koiiuuei  turned  rajiidly  to  the  sjieaker. 

"  \'(>u  can  explain,   ICchizeu?" 

n  r  M 

1   can. 

"Proofs  are  many,"  said  Aidzu,  tiirustinu 
his  head  forward,  "that  this  youni.j  man  in- 
cited the  outraires. " 

Auaiii  foruellinii;  himself,  the  sensiti\e  and 
impulsive  Mori  ]ea])ed  towards  the  spt'aJcer. 

"  \'ou  lie!"  he  thundered.  Then  recallinu' 
himself,  he  turned  towards  the  Mikado. 

"I  crave  your  Majesty's  pardon,  hut" — hi^ 
voice  trembled  in  spile  of  him — "  that  worm 
lies." 

The  ICm])er()r  stared  from  Aidzu  to  Mori, 
then  hack  to  I'^chizen. 

"  Vou  are  i)repared  to  rciwrt  concerninr,'' 
this?" 

"  I  am,  your  Majesty,"  answered  Kchizen. 

"  Proceed." 

The  Prince  of  I-^chizen  indicated  the  gov- 
ernor of  the  city  w'th  a  sli,L,dit  loss  oi  his 
head. 

"  Privily,  yonr  Majesty,  I  be^,"  he  said. 

Komniei  hesitated.  He  seemed  to  be  study- 
ing; I'^clnzen's  face.  If  read  correctI\  ,  he  saw 
written  there  so  much  determination,  so  nnich 
Io\altv  and  faith  and  truth,  that  its  very  ex- 


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hiin    .sdiiic    of    its 


prcssioii    coiniminicaU-d    to 
lofty  strciit,rtl,  aiul   resolve. 

"My  Lord  of  Aulzu  will  withdraw,"  Ik-  said 
qiucUy. 

"Hut,  your  .Majesty-"  bei:a„  Aidzu. 
llie   first  cxi-ression   of  i.ni)eriai  eoniniand 
came  nit<.   Konmie.   Teniios   face,     ilis   head 
elevated  it.self.  his  eyes  enlarged  and  became 
JHirple  with  hauuhty  comiiiand. 
"I  have  si>ol<cn.  "  he  said. 
Instanlly  Aidzu  bowed  deeply,  but  into  liis 
tace  there  crept  a  malimiant  expression      He 
tiicn  withdrew  from  the  chamber.     When  he 
\va.s  ^ro„e,  the  !•  mpen.r  made  a  dignified  ^ij^i- 
lire  of  permi.ssion  to  Kchizen. 

"vSire,  this  youni,r  Prince  Mori  has  devoted 
hi.s  life  to  vour  cau.'c,  as  have  ],"  he  .said,  in 
a  low  but  |)assionate  voice. 

"Hush !  n.)t  .so  loud,"  said  the  EmiK-ror  with 
a  .slight  shiver.     "Wait." 

\\ilh  quick  footsteps  he  cros.sed  to  the  door 
and  ihiuir  it  violently  aside.  There  was  none 
without. 

"Prf)cecd,"  he  .said,  almost  in  a  uhisixT. 

Kchizen  lowered  his  voice  still  more. 

"Sire,  the  Prince  of  Mori  did  not  incite  these 
ina.ssacres,  but  protested  .stron,i,dv  airainst 
tliem. 

"The  proofs!     Quick— the  proofs!" 
i:chizen  quietly  withdrew  his  sword  from  his 
belt.     Its  |K)int  he  applied  to  his  own  breast 
I  pon  his  knees  he  ..flered  its  hilt  to  his  master 


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WH.VOOjr^G  Qp  VJ^TAPJA 


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"Sire,  my  life  is  at  your  service,  now  as 
ever,"  he  said. 

The  EiiiiKTor  bent  ijixin  him  a  |[raze  that  in 
a  man  of  ^^eniiis  would  have  shown  his  soul 

''  r  believe  you,"  he  muttered.  Then  to  him- 
self:  ''  \\  hom  may  I,  of  a  truth,  believe— whom 
may  I  trust?" 

The  rnnce  of  Echizen,  retraining  his  feet 
continued  : 

"  These  massacres  were  the  work  of  a  ronin 
— Ilasuda— who  is  all  for  the  cause,  although 
an  unauthorized  agent.  Hy  this  deed,  how- 
ever, he  and  his  men  will  aid  the  cause  " 

"How?" 

"They  will  embroil  the  shogimatc  with  the 
r>owers— the  shogunate,  which  is  resjwnsible 
to  the  foreigners  for  the  ]x.'ace. " 

"But  the  shogunate  had  naught  to  do  with 
these  burnings  and  killi.ngs." 

"True,"    said    Kchi/.en.    smiling    .slightlv 
but  think  you  that  i^e  silly  foreigner  is  p()s- 
sessed  with    your    penetration,  sire?     At    the 
burning  of  the  foreign  houses  the  romns  cried 
in  the  name  of  the  shogunate," 

"A     stroke,    truly,"     said     the     Emperor, 
thoughtfully. 

And  having  dared  this  observation  the  cau- 
tious EmiKTor  hastened  to  qualifications. 

"That  is,"  he  began,  "that   i.s— "     Then 
remembering  the  presence  of  Mori,  "  What  is 
his  errand?"  he  asked. 

Mori  stepj>ed  forward.     I  lis  head  was  thrown 


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kick.  The  Shiniiitr  PnHcc  had  for/gotten 
at,^ain  that  he  was  in  the  presence  of  the 
Aukado. 

"  I  have  conic  to  urpc  a  national  necessity 
U})<ni  your  Majestv,"  he  said. 

"What  is  that?" 

"To  ur^re  your  Majesty  to  etjvc  an  order 
lor  the  expulsion  of  all  foreigners  within  vour 
empire." 

"What!"  exclaimed  the  startled  Emperor. 

Fervently  Mori  continued: 

"The  presence  of  these  foreitrners  make«  the 
re  -  cstabh.shment  of  your  Majestv  in  vour 
projxjr  position  inii)ossible.  They  distract  the 
Imperialists  from  their  purpo.se.  Fear,  or, 
rather,  uncertainty,  in  regard  to  them  causes 
the  Im})erialists  to  hesitate  in  attacking  the 
shogunate  and  forcing  civil  war  ujwn  the 
countrN'-  while  these  foreigners  are  u{X)n  the 
soil.  They  have  multiplied  in  such  numbers 
lately  that  all  over  the  country  the  jvople  j)ro- 
test  against  the  privileges  granted  to  .hem  by 
the  shogunate. " 

"This  sounds  logical,"  said  the  Emperor 
half  to  himself. 

"  ^  •'"'■  'Majesty,  ix?rmit  me  to  suggest  that 
the  wrath  of  the  foreigners,  through  the  recent 
acts  m  Vedo,  will  fall  ujxm  the  shogunate. 
This  is  well  for  us.  We  must  take  advantage 
of  these  very  acts  of  the  ronins.  Let  us  follow 
them  up  by  ex{)elling  the  foreigner.  If  thou 
wilt  but  issue  such  a  command,  a  united  coun- 


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try  will  back  you.     The  shommatc  will  fit 
hccausc  it  must,  whilf  wc  will  do  so  for  our 
cause    and    our   honics.     'riicii,  the  forcij^ncr 
cxi)clk'd,   thou,  sire,   thou  and   the  weaUened 
shot,nniate  may  reckon  together." 

ICayerly  Kouiinci  listened  to  the  Prince's 
words — eaucrly,  atid  with  his  eyes  fastened 
upon  Mori's  face.  Down  dropjHjd  his  head 
in   thouj^dit. 

I>chizen,  seizini^  the  opportunity,  seconded 
Mori's  appeal. 

"Sire,"  he  exclaimed,  "the  shouainate  must 
fall  through  the  foreiti:ner.  It  caiuiot  rest 
upon  the  jH-'ople.  Already  is  it  weakened. 
Only  jTJvc  the  command  to  expel  the  foreigner 
and  we  will  drive  him  into  the  .seas.  He  will 
attack  the  shotj^unate,  and  that  once  van- 
(piished,  thou  wilt  reiy-n  and  nudvc  j)cace, 
j)erha])s  friend.ship,  with  these  foreitrners. " 

Still  ihe  weakened  I'>mi)eror  hesitated. 

"  I  see  clearly  the  results  you  foreshadow," 
he  said,  "but  if  any  detail  were  to  mis- 
carry— "  He  shruu:u:ed  his  shoidders  and 
shivered. 

There  was  a  sound  at  the  door.  The  con- 
fidemial  valet  a])])eared. 

"What  is  it?"  demanded  the  Emperor,  iin- 
])atiently. 

"Vour  Majesty,"  said  the  valet,  kneeling, 
"the  Shoi,nui  Kii,  accompanied  by  the  Lord 
of  Catzu,  has  enlercxl  the  palace  and  craves 
audience  of  vour  Maiestv. " 


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The  x.ilci  hackid  fr(tm  the  room,  drawint^ 
tilt-  slidit,^  doors  behind  liitii. 

Mori  drew  near  to  his  s<)\erei'L:ii  until  his 
hurninf,^  eyes  held  Koinmci  in  an  embrace  of 
enthusiasm. 

"See — see,  sire,"  he  said,  slowly,  stron<,dy, 
so  that  every  syllable  tore  its  way  to  the  un- 
derstanding of  the  AhUado  —  "see,  the  sIkv 
tjunate  is  already  weakened.  It  comes  creejK 
in,t,r  to  Kioto  to  LHve  that  nominal  submission 
to  your  Majesty  ordained  by  custom  to  be  j)aid 
once  a  year,  but  deferred  uj)  to  this  day  for 
just  two  hundred  and  thirty  years.  Already 
the  shoL,nmate,  needinti  your  divine  sui)iM)rt, 
crawls.     Crush  it,  sire — crush  it!" 

To  I'khizen  the  dij)loHi£it,  this  new  develoi)- 
ment  in  the  situation  had  unfolded  itself  with 
intuitive  raj>idity. 

"Sire,"  said  l'>chizen,  "I  can  tell  your  Maj- 
esty what  the  shoj^aniate  will  advocate." 

"What^" 

"The  clositiLT  of  the  ports  and  the  scndincr 
away  of  all  foreij^ners. " 

"  FJut  that  is  just  the  policy  you  advocate," 
said  Kommei.  "  Vou  will  tyrant  me  that  this 
is  susj)icious,"  he  quickly  added. 

Echizen  answered : 

"  Your  Majesty,  the  shoirunaie,  realizintf  its 
own  weakness,  will  outwardly  identify  itself 
with  a  iK)puIar  jxilicy.  In  .secret,  it  has  its 
own  ]K)licy." 

"Sire,"  interjected   Mori,   besetvhin[:ly,   "I 

^^^^^ar-      ...J.  tEi— _-j__^ — sc 

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TOE  -VoojrsG  o/?  \s;iSTAPv)A 


pray  you  answer  thcin  with  the  majesty  that 
is  Japan,  and  commit  yourself  to  no  jxjhcy 
with  them  Once  they  are  i^rone,  command  the 
expulsion  of  the  f<iren,nier,  and  we,  your  true 
and  faithful  Im{)enalists,  will  obey  you  at  once.  " 
The  Emperor's  faith  was  stdl  unsettled. 
Their  i)roi)osals  he  respected,  but  their  loyal- 
ty he  distrusted. 

"Vou,  Echizen,  and  you,  Mori,"  he  said, 
abruptly,  closing  a  j/criod  of  silence  and 
thou>,dit— "  I  shall  put  you  to  the  test.  Come 
with  me  to  the  audience- hall.  If  you  have 
fathomed  the  counsels  of  the  shoguna'e,  it 
shall  be  as  you  wish." 

The  I':mperor  left  the  chamber.  Mori  would 
have  taken  the  Mikado  blindly  at  his  word 
and  have  followed  hi>n  to  the  audience-hall, 
but  for  the  detaining  grasp  of  Echizen. 

"His  Majesty  means,"  he  exiilained,  that 
we  shall  join  him  in  the  ante-room  of  the 
audience-hall.  He  regains  his  own  palace  by 
paths  of  which  we  must  appear  ignt)rant." 

Although  transported  with  jov,  and  in  a 
state  of  mind  that  would  permit  of  little  re- 
str^unt,  Mori  was  kept  in  the  room  bv  Echizen 
until  a  suOicicnt  time  had  elapsed.  Then 
Echizen  conducted  the  Prince  to  his  own  quar- 
ters, where  both  made  suitable  changes  in 
their  attire.  At  the  end  of  an  hour  the  con- 
fidential servants  of  the  M..iado  came  in  per- 
son to  sunmion  them  to  the  audiencc-hall. 
Early  as  was  the  hour,  the  whole  Kit)to  court 


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was  astir  to  enjoy  a  i)rofouncl  sensation— *hc 
comintr  of  the  Shouun  to  Kioto.  The  news 
ran  hke  fire  thron-h  the  palace,  carried  hy 
servants  and  masters  ahke.  Courtiers  hast- 
ened to  seek  out  the  finerv  thev  too  sekloiti 
wore  of  h.«e.  T!,e  astute  reasoned,  and  the 
profound  were  (hinib. 

Some  rumor  of  the  events  in  Yedo  had  /L^^ain- 
ed  strentith.  Even  the  least  consequential  felt 
that  a  turn  ni  fortune  had  come. 

Within  the  spacious  audience-hall,  Echizen 
and  Mori  found  vantage  spots  on  a  side  of 
the  Kmi)eror's  screen,  opiK)site  to  that  occupied 
by  the  sullen  Aidzu.  Mori  now  found  that  he 
had  enjoyed  a  privilege  j^riven  to  tne  few  in 
having  seen  the  whole  person  of  his  ICmperor 
Ljxm  state  occasions,  only  the  face— or  xoice 
even— gave  sign  of  the  presence  of  the  Son  of 
Heaven. 

At  the  head  of  the  hall  a  raised  piatform  ex- 
tended across  the  entire  breadth  of  the  apart- 
ment.    To  its  edge  there  hung  from  the  ceil- 
ing richly  embroidered  curtains  of  heavy  silk 
The  design  was  that  of  a  dragon  whose  two 
frightful  bcKhes  met  at   the  Ik-mJ    which  oc- 
cupied the  exact  c.-ntre  of  the  tajKstry.     The 
closely  ob.servant  eyes  of  Mori  detected  lines 
near  the  head,  showing  that  a  square  of  the 
material  could   be   remo\ed,  leaving  a   snudl 
openmg.     It  was  through  this  alone  that  the 
Em[)er(ir,  as    the  Shinto  deity,  received   the 
homage  of  his  court. 


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„     TOE  •VOOjrSG  op  Vi^TAFJA 


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'riitrc  was  a  .signal  from  the  saiiiiirai  who 
acted  as  master  ■>[  ceremonies.  Tlie  outer 
doors  were  pushed  to  either  side  to  adnut  the 
procession  of  (he  Sliot^aui  Kii.a  hoy  scarce  fif- 
teen wars  of  au;e,  and  his  numerous  advis- 
ers, ministers,  and  court.  Amonj^  the  richly 
attired  crowd  of  lords  aliout  him  was  Catzu, 
plaiidy  the  \  utual  He^ent,  and  head  of  the 
haKufu. 

The  Shotciui,  the  Lord  f)f  Catzu,  and  the 
entire  assemhlaue  fell  upon  their  Unees  at  a 
sijj.li   from   the  master  of  ceremonies. 

There  was  a  pau.^e  of  eX|)ectation.  Then 
the  s(iuare  in  the  head  of  the  drat^^on  moved 
aside.  Dimly  seen,  appeared  the  up|K.'r  iK)rtion 
of  the  head  of  the  l'mi)eror  Kommei  Tenno. 

The  Lord  of  Catzu  spoke  while  still  kneeling, 
without  (larinj^r  to  j^^aze  in  the  direction  of  the 
ICm|)er()r  hehind  the  .-screen. 

"  Vour  Serene  .Majesty,  Son  of  Heaven  and 
Father  of  Earth,"  he  said,  unctuously,  "  the 
insitrnificant  shogunate  desires,  as  of  old,  to 
render  its  filial  sul)mission  to  thee,  and  to  jrive 
every  evidence  of  its  love  and  devotion." 

"It  is  well,"  said  a  voice  from  within  the 
d ration's  head. 

"The  Sho^aui,"  continued  Catzu,  after  a 
respectful  i)ause,  "as  war  lord  of  your  Serene 
Highness,  desires  to  ask  your  Majesty's  j)cr- 
nussion  to  hanish  all  foreigners  now  in  \our 
niiperial  realm  as  most  noxious  to  your  Maj- 
esty, and  to  close  again  the  ports  of  Xipjxjn. 


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The  vShotri,,,  h;,s  scut  ail  ciiihassy  to  ICiiropc, 
that  this  may  he  done  without  violence  and 
in  di^niiiy. " 

This  tune  there  was  no  res|H)nse  from  the 
Mikado  behind  llic  taiH.stry.  Catzu,  havinj^r 
jiauscd  an  instant,  resumed: 

"Has  your  Serene  Highness  anv  comniands 
for  his  war  lord?"' 

The  voice  issued  attain  from  the  draf^on 
hani,r,njr.s.  h  was  a  trifle  raised  now,  hut 
I)erfectly  clear. 

"It  is  decreed  that  the  IVince  of  Kchizen  is 
made  premier  (o  ihe  Shot^run,  and  first  minister 
in  all  our  empire. " 

Catzu  was  taken  aback.  His  head,  however, 
was  bent  to  the  ground  in  submi.ssion. 

"Thou  art  the  Son  of  Heaven."  he  said, 
while  rage  choked  his  throat. 


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^t  Prince  I^chizcn,  the  new 
^  I  premier,  and  the  Prince  Mori 
I  Cdinpleted  all  arranLTdiients  for 
n  the 


issue  and  execution  of 
the  order  ])roiiii.sed  by  the  Mi- 
kado. 

It    was    atrrced    between    the 
two  and  their  hupcriahst  alhes 
that   wlien   the   bell   within   the 
(g-^^:^'^^"^'-     i:tnperor's  jirivate  belfry  should 
4.^*■?.V'^1^■>cT.^"f'.L    sound,    the   traiisiM)rt   of  troops 
and  cannon  to  Shiinonoselii,  in 
■'...     ^■:^       I     Choshui,  should  bej^nn.      When 
^J^3^  "^^      the  hour  struck,  a  vast  army  of 
~^j^^'^*'^>f     laborers    should    move    in    the 

%C^''^^^^^^^^  '  ■'^'""^    direction,    to    build    for- 
tiliealions    under    the   direction 


irA 


X. 


<L> 


=JF= 


316 


b 


ii 


IP 


or 


^ 


TOE.VOOjrjo  o/?  ViSTARJA 


> 


f< 


(»f   Mori,  for   there   a    furei^^i    lleel  was    now 

It  was  also  aureed  that  everywhere  with- 
in sound  of  the  hell  the  order  (»f  the  ICiiiiKTor 
for  the  expulsion  of  the  foreii^niers  shuuld  he 
heralded  and  placarded  hy  agents  in  waitnij; 
for  this  purjxxse. 

The  Hin|)eror,  in  sjHte  of  the  protests  of 
Aidzu,  whom  he  distrusted  hut  dared  nut  re- 
move as  yet  from  his  trovernorship  of  the  city, 
still  held  to  his  promise.  Ilavinu^  once  gained 
that  i)r()mise,  Ivchizen  had  troubled  him  as 
little  as  iM)ssil)le,  knowing  that  to  succeed,  he 
nuist  seek  the  Kmi)eror  last  of  all. 

Mori,  on  his  |)arl,  had  sent  to  the  forces  he 
had  ordered  to  inarch  on  Vedo,  other  <'om- 
niands  that  hade  them  halt  until  he  himself 
should  join  them.  They  would  he  the  flower 
of  his  force  against  the  foreigner. 

Knowing  that  Aidzu  would  interfere  with 
his  own  person,  if  need  he.  to  prevent  the  i.s- 
suing  of  the  edict  «)f  expulsion,  Echizen,  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  day  decided  ujkju,  caused  it 
to  be  whispered  alx)ut  the  court  that  two  days 
hence  he  would  give  the  signal.  He  thought 
thus  to  put  Aidzu  off  his  guard,  for  he  knew 
that  the  shogunate  meant  nothing  hy  its 
formal  request  of  the  Mikado.  Meeting  p<^ii>- 
ular  demand,  it  had  advocated  the  hani.sh- 
ment  of  foreigners  through  diplomatic  nego- 
tiation which  signified  little.  Echizen  knew 
that  the  shoguna.o  desired  open  jHjrts,  and 


X 


X 


^ 


317 


I 


'  y 


*1 


Mr^ ^ —  — T zjL^zi 

IhuM^rht  ii  ex  I  re  1 1  Illy  uiilikdy  lliai  the  Mili.ulo 
Would  i.s.siu-  .uiy  expulsion  deerees  in  rcsiMJiisc 
to   llieir  .st.iteiiieiil. 

Thai  MiLrht  Mori  ;ui(l  luhizeii  met  the  l^iii- 
peror  hy  seeret  .'ip|ioiiitiiieiit.  Aid/.u  was  not 
ill  smht.  The  three  took  the  way  to  the  l)elfr\-, 
which  stood  near  the  outer  wall  on  Mie  west- 
ern side  of  the  court  enclosure.  The  jiath  lay 
throuL;h  a  garden  little  used  save  hy  tlu'  ICiu- 
JHjror  alone.  Down  the  hiU-.^ide  it  went  throimJi 
a  lield  of  ins  to  the  teiiijile  helfry,  a  low  huild- 
intr  ■'^et  on  the  Lrround,  not  in  a  touer. 

The  laiii)eror  was  still  douhtful,  even  while 
on  the  way  to  issue  the  order, 

"  Is  It  the  hest  thiiiLT  to  do?"  he  reiieated 
fretfully. 

"The  only  thiim,"'  replied   Mori,  firiiily. 
"There  is  no  other  course,"  insisted  I-^chizen. 
'i'he  wind,  stirriim  in  the  Iree-toiis,  swayed 
the  shadows  gloomily  from  side  to  side. 

"What  is  that?"  exclaimed  the  Iwuperor, 
haltinir  in  alarm. 

"Only  the-  wind,  sire,"  answered  Mori. 

Come,"  repeated  Ivchizen. 
Arrived  at  the  helfry,  the  F.mperor,  jzather- 
inu-  his  cloak-  closely  ahont  him,  stepped  uin- 
uerly  ujxm  its  hroad  platform,  and  stotKl  there 
douhtfully  reirardinu  the  swaxini:  iron  chain, 
from  which  was  susi)ended,  close  to  the  hell, 
the  heavy  metal  hammer. 

"  1  am  to  draw  this  hack/'  mumbled  Kommei, 
stuj)idly. 


:$ 


r^ 


rf 


-1^ 


zjn: 


518 


W      t tf- 


TOE  .V/oojr^O  OF  \^i5TARlA 


^rc: 


=S. 


f 


"^ 


"\«'ii  arc  It)  draw  il  liack  as  fai  as  iIk' 
iliain  will  iH-rmit,  your  Majisty,"  aiiswcnd 
^'"'i  "  H",  I  luir  your  Majisfy,  riiit,';  .snimd 
iIk'  siuiial  al  niHi-  " 

Tlu  ICiiiiK  n.r,  .vtrctehinu  "i.t  lus  hand,  nach- 
(.(1  for  the  tham  wilh  its  swiiii^iiiir  haiiiiikr. 
A  loriii  liiirst  fi.im  <.ul  tlu'  ins  Iik!  IrIiukI 
liiiii  fii  alarm,  llic  tninhiiii^  Koninai  dropivd 
llu'  chain. 

"Oiui  k!"whisiK.iul  M(.ri,cX(.itc(lly.  "  Kiiit:. 
sin — rint^l" 

■' Kmir.  sift!"  rci>c-alc(l  luhi/m.  frantically. 
Hut  thf  IwniKTor  was  slariii!:  u  ith  fascinatKl 
Ua/.c  into  the  face  ol  .\id/u,  wlm  stood  beside 
him. 

"Do  iiolliinLT  of  the  kind,  sire,  "  he  iianted, 
heavdy.  "  Do  nothing  of  the  kind.  It  means 
ruin  to  tile  emjiire." 

"  It  means  ruin  to  your  enemies,  sire,"  cried 
I'^cluzen. 

"  It  means  death,"  said   Aidzn. 
"It   is   the  doom   of  the  shoi^rnnate,"  cried 
.M..n. 

Still  the  Emjteror  hesitated  and  shivered. 
Auair.  there  was  a  sound  of  nuniinLT  ft-'et. 
Suddeidy  a  boyisli  fiLCure  leai»ed  into  the  yroup 
of  men  and  sprantc  "ix*"  tli*-'  helfry  j)latforin. 
A  <|uick-  hand  drew  back  the  swint^nn^  ham- 
mer to  the  full  length  of  the  chain.  Then  re- 
leasinL,'  it,  the  hand  shot  the  hannner  straight 
and  true  at  the  bell's  heart. 

The  sif^nal,  reverlx'ratini,^  heavily,  far-sound- 


1 


X 


3^9 


<!^ 


injj^,  floated  into  the  distance,  fiUinp  the  air 
with  its  sombre  zoom!  )^fohn !  RohnI  j^ohnl 

A  slender  boy  knelt  at  the  Emperor's  feet. 

"Your  Majesty  commanded  me  to  ring," 
said  a  voice. 

Mori,  peering  forward,  recop^nized  in  an 
instant  the  boy  Jiro.  A  great  lump  welled 
up  in  his  throat,  choking  him  with  the  in- 
tensity of  his  emotion. 

"Treason!  Kill  hifn!"  shrieked  Aidzu. 
"Your  Majesty  gave  no  such  command." 

Nettled  at  the  air  of  constant  authority'  about 
Aidzu,  the  l'^m])eror  forgot  his  caution.  Per- 
haps, too,  the  deed  of  the  boy  had  touched 
him,  just  as  it  had  relieved  him  of  embarrass- 
ment. 

"f  so  commanded,"  he  said. 

"But  your  Majesty  spoke  no  words,"  ejac- 
ulated the  infuriated  Aidz.u. 

"  The  Son  of  I  leaven  need  not  speak  by  word 
of  mouth  to  be  understofxl,"  was  the  exas}x:r- 
ating  and  [)erfectly  dignified  resiK)nse  of  the 
Mikado. 

Forgetting  himself  in  his  rage,  Aidzu  turned 
to  f'^chizen  and  Mori. 

"  r  will  thwart  your  plans  yet,  be  assured, 
my  lords." 

Mori  drew  himself  up  proudh',  and  throwing 
back  h's  head,  surveyed  the  governor  con- 
temptuously. 

"ft  is  too  late,"  he  said.     "Li.sten!" 

From    all   quarters   of   the   city   about   the 


^ 


^ 


f 


^ 


^ 


^  vT 


■^JL-  ■— 


ae: 


^ 


palace  there  came  the  sound  of  stirrinjj:  move- 
ment. At  first  the  noises  mingled  in  con- 
fusion and  were  indistinguishable.  Gradual- 
ly, a.s  their  several  origins  receded  and  drew 
apart,  they  hecame  capable  of  separate  iflenti- 
fication.  Off  to  the  west  a  large  Ixxly  of  horse- 
men were  fiercely  galloping.  To  the  east  the 
tread  of  men  marching  in  regular  formation 
shook  the  ground.  Farther  south  there  was 
the  indistinct  tramp  of  distant  horses,  min- 
gled with  the  metallic  clank  of  gun-fittings. 
Cannon  were  being  moved. 
The  march  to  Shimonoseki  had  begun. 


^ 


*■ 


— s^ 
321 


i 


:3 r—^jr 


T  was  the  last  sta«e  of  Mori's 
march  to  his  scai)ort  of  Shinion- 
^oscki.    In  the  extreme  rear,  with 
a   mounted   force  lately  assem- 
bled under  the  direction  of  Toro, 
the  Prince  of  Mori  riKle.      Xear 
him    were    Jiro    and    his    ever- 
constant  jLjuardian,  the  samurai 
Cenji,  also  mounted.     An  emj)- 
^       ty  norinion,  which  served  as  a 
i^g7  travelling'    council  -  house,    was 
borne  by  runners  in  advance  of 
this,  the  reiir-guard. 

The  march  of  the  expedition 

\j  was  slow,  since  it  was  retrulated 

by  the  jiace  of  the  laborers  who 

preceded  the  mam  body,  as  they 


I 


^ 


-ar 


c 


cri: 


^ 


W 


■  J 


were  to  throw  up  the  intrcnchments  witliout 
which  the  cannon  of  the  Mori  foundries  were 
useless. 

The  division  of  hibore-s  inarched  iniiiic- 
diately  behind  the  advance -^-uard.  Feehnt; 
little  apprehension  of  attack  from  the  objective 
direction  of  their  march,  Mori  had  thrown  his 
strength  to  the  rear.  Here,  in  addition  to  the 
cavalry  forces,  were  the  cannon  broutrhl  from 
his  provinces  and  those  furnished  by  the 
Prince  of  I-^chizen. 

Over  all  a  nu)on,  screened  by  a  filmy  cloud, 
spread  its  diffused  light,  which  rendered  Mori 
imj^tient  to  begin  the  work  of  intrenchment, 
since  much  might  be  accomplished  before  the 
foreign  ships  could  learn  of  the  ImiKrialist 
plans. 

When  Mori  rnd  Jiro,  leaving  the  discom- 
fited Aidzu  and  the  vacillating  ICmperor  to- 
gether, had  rushed  from  the  palace  enclosure 
to  mount  the  horses  provided  by  Echizen  just 
outside,  there  had  been  no  time  for  exjjlana- 
tions.  Mori  was  not  even  surpri;ied  to  find 
Jiro  joined  by  Genji  before  they  had  gallojxjd 
a  mile.  He  had  become  accustomed  to  the 
association  of  these  tw<:)  in  a  convenient  com- 
radeship. 

The  first  work  of  that  night  had  been  the 
lasting  of  mounted  guards  in  advance  and 
in  the  rear  of  the  laborers,  as.sembled  by  Echi- 
zen. This  done,  the  three  had  galloj)ed  to  the 
division  of  the  cannon,  which  was  hurricdlv 


323 


■ir 


r^ 


f 


Q^ 


y 


fr 


1 


TOE-'WOOirsGO/?  VJ3TAPJA 


organized  into  some  semblance  of  individual 
batteries  and  despatched  after  the  proletariat 
division. 

Then  in  a  wild,  quick  dash  across  the  coun- 
try the  Prince  of  Mori  had  marshalled  his  in- 
fantry, swordsmen,  and  riflemen  from  the  scat- 
tered columns  into  one  compact  corps.  Time 
was  now  j)rcssing,  but  the  Sliining  Pnnce  had 
yet  to  converge  his  parallel  lines  of  cavalry. 

Fearing  that  the  unstable  Emi)eror,  in  some 
new  doubt  of  expediency,  might  yet  desj)atch 
other  troops  to  recall  him,  Mori  placed  his 
strongest  cavalry  Ixxly  under  the  command 
of  Genji  in  the  rear. 

While  waiting  for  one  of  these  divisions  to 
file  past  him,  Mori,  turning  suddenly  to  Jiro, 
asked : 

"  How  came  vou  into  the  Emperor's  palace, 
Jiro?" 

"It  was  simi)ly  done,"  replied  the  lad.  "I 
returned  with  the  couriers  sent  by  you  to  your 
forces  from  the  fortress  of  Mori." 

"Vou  came  in  good  time,"  Mori  said,  in 
quiet  commendation. 

The  distribution  of  the  various  forces  com- 
pleted, Mori,  ordering  r.enji  to  exercise  a  gen- 
eral oversight  until  his  return,  had  turned  to 
galloj)  back  to  the  palace.  He  had  gone  but 
a  short  ('istance,  however,  when  he  found  that 
the  lad  Jiro  was  close  behind  him. 

"  I^eturn  to  Genji's  cavalry  division,"  he 
ordered,  briefly. 


^ 


,i 


R" 


IF 


-JU- 


324 


^iC: 


^ 


H 


k 


^ 


Cit— 1»    t-lo' 


WE  >WC>oirso  Of  ViSTAR>A 


3E: 


t 


"But,  your  hiKhness,  I  am  your  personal 
armor-bearer;  I  must  accompany  you." 

The  hard-ridin>^  form  of  (lenji  at  this  mo 
ment  held  dashtxl  forward.  Mori  was  astound- 
ed at  this  singular  diso])edience. 

"  What,  you ! "  he  had  cried.  "  You  leave  an 
army  to  care  for  itself!" 

"  i3ui  the  lad— Jiro,"  said  (lenji. 

"Is  he,  then,  so  precious  that  you  endanger 
the  safety  of  a  whole  cause?  Return  at  once, 
both  of  you,  to  your  stations." 

Without  a  word  more,  Mori  rode  to  the  palace 
to  confer  with  Echizen.  He  found  the  premier 
fT'-i,    tlv  troubled. 

"  Mori,"  he  said,  "  I  cannot  prevail  upon  the 
EmixTor  to  make  me  his  own  premier  as  well 
as  that  of  the  Shogun.  Already  he  is  weak- 
ening. You  must  exjxict  little  aid  from  me 
now,  since  I  will  be  under  the  Shogun.  I  may 
aid  you  unexjxjctedly,  but  rely  ujion  nothing 
more  than  my  willingness.  Undoubtedly ,  efforts 
will  be  made  to  interfere  with  you, but  disregard 
them.  Obey  the  order  you  have  received,  and 
allow  no  Shogun  to  countermand  it.  The  for- 
eigners once  aroused, the  rest  will  come  in  time. " 

So  it  was  with  an  anxious  heart  that  Mori 
rode  in  the  rear  of  his  forces  on  the  last  stage 
of  the  journey.  Up  to  this  time  nothing  un- 
toward had  occurred.  He  had  met  and  joined 
to  his  army  the  forces  under  Toro,  ordered 
earlier  to  proceed  from  the  Mori  fortress  to 
Yedo.     All  was  well  with  them. 


I 


I 


r* 


Qd 


5 


^         ^-  ^'T — — 5fe 1— 


I  he  melancholy  of  the  Prince  was  broken 
by  the  entrance  throuirh  a  sudden  opening 
made  m  the  trnnip  of  his  horsemen  of  some 
strange  samurai.  Straightway  these  samurai 
havuiLT  delivered  to  him  some  rolls  of  parch- 
ment, were  dismissed  to  the  advance. 

The  general  staff  of  Mori,  which  included 
(•en.n,  Ion.,  and  the  boy  Jjro,were  summoned 
about  the  Pnnce  for  council. 

Mori,  who  had  dismounted  from  his  hor.se 
spread  out  uix.n  the  ground  and  examined  bv 
the  light  of  a  lantern  the  plans  of  the  heights 
overlooking  ShuiK.no.seki.     Quick! v  he  marked 
U])i.ii  tlien-  surface  black  sp(,ts. 

"Jlere  you  will  dig  y.jur  trenches,"  he  or- 
dered Toro.     "  ft  IS  time  for  the  work." 

The   heights   overlooking   the   water   below 
were  entered  Jirst  by  the  advance-guard,  now 
under  M<jri  in  person.     A  cordon  was  placcxl 
about   them,   with   every   ai)proach    from   the 
land  guarded.     Into  the  large  circle  thus  form- 
ed loro  led  the  laborers  under  their  direction 
At  once  the  trained  pioneers  began  the  erection 
ot  cjirlhworks  upon  a  .sy.stem  imparted  bv  Mori 
to  ioro,  and  from  the  latter  direct  to  the  chief 
IJioneers.     The   entire  space  of  the  immen.se 
circle  was  soon  tilled  by  the  burrowing,  grub- 
bing laborers. 

While  these  were  sinking  holes  on  the  land- 
ward .side.  It  became  apparent  that  no  rai.sed 
lortilications  were  to  be  made  a  target  for 
ships.     The  hills  them.selves  were  cut  into,  but 


^ 


« 


r^^rzzzi 


u6 


X 


r^ 


-* 


fc 


^ 


'i 


^ 


3 


THE  -VOOif^G  Of  VJSTAR)A     n 


always  iiixiii  the  landward  side,  leaving  their 
naturtil  elevation  towards  the  sea.  Thus  the 
Kims  would  lie  in  a  pit  below  the  surface  of 
the  hii^'hlands.     The  walls  were  all  within. 

Mori's  next  task  was  the  formation  of  the 
infantry  ii.io  another  circle  to  the  landward 
of  that  (Kcujjied  by  the  jnoneers.  IiUo  the 
centre  of  it  the  cannon  were  drawn,  where 
they  were  to  remain  until  the  trenches  were 
ready  for  their  occupancy.  The  remauiini^ 
force  of  cavalry'  was  massed  at  a  convenient 
station,  whence  they  could  be  sent  quickly  to 
any  desired  ixjint. 

Now  at  last  there  came  a  period  of  inaction 
for  Mori.  The  jnoneers  were  makinL,^  full 
si^eetl,  but  nothint^  further  could  be  done  until 
the  trenches  were  completed.  In  this  breath- 
ing space  Mori  nxle  apart  from  all  his  forces, 
dismissinj;  his  temiK)rary  stafT  to  their  tasks 
of  oversight. 

UiKin  a  lonely  blulT  the  Prince  dismounted, 
where  he  was  able  to  make  out  indistinctly 
the  foreign  ships  of  war  at  anchor  below.  Con- 
cerning their  identity  he  was  little  informed. 
He  knew  severed  nationalities  were  represent- 
ed, since  the  advent  of  the  .\mericans  had 
drawn  English,  Dutch,  French,  and  Russian 
men-of-war  to  the  coast.  At  least  four  nations 
must  be  represented  in  the  little  fleet  that 
stretched  out  yonder  over  the  water. 

"  It  little  matters,"  said  Mori.  "  They  may 
be   American,  English,  French,  or   Russian, 


'— ^ 


X 


u 


'^ 


327 


^ 


TOE.VOOirsG  or  VJSTARIA 

g ^~ ^  ^ r- 


*=fF 


but  they  arc  .ill  forei^^ners,  and  desire  to  en- 
croach uiM)n  our  sacred  realm." 

As  he  turned  away  from  the  water  a  voun^? 
oflicer  of  his  staff  saluted  him. 

"Many  trenches  are  now  prepared,  vour 
hit^hness,"  he  said. 

At  once  the  task  of  installing  the  guns  was 
bet,nm.  Out  froin  their  t,niarded  circle  they 
were  drawn.  The  horses  oriq^inally  lrans|x)rt- 
m«-  them  were  aided  by  the  cavalry  mounts, 
while  f(.  .men  pulled  enthusiastically  at  the 
wheels  as  they  saidv  into  the  trampled  mire 
or  were  blocked  by  natural  obstructions. 

Once  within  the  pits  destined  for  their  re- 
ception, the  guns  were  levelled  and  adjusted 
by  men  from  Mori's  works.  The  crews  ai>- 
IXiuited  to  each  gun  were  comix)sed  of  the 
followers  who  had  come  from  the  Mori  for- 
tress. 

Dawn  found  much  of  the  work  completed. 
The  trenches  were  fashioner! ,  the  guns  within 
the  pits,  and  the  cavalry  in  their  apjxiinted 
station.  The  outer  cordon  of  guards  was  in- 
structed to  dismount  and  to  recline,  horse  and 
man,  so  that  nothing  suspicious  could  be  seen 
from  the  decks  of  the  vessels  below. 

Within  the  trenches  the  adjustment  of  the 
heavy  pieces  was  in  i)rogress,  together  with 
the  levelling  of  a  gun  platform  or  the  furtive 
sighting  of  a  gun.  Such  of  the  infantry  as 
were  not  engaged  in  this  cmj)loyment  were 
thrown  out  as  scouts  on  the  landward  side. 


^ 


if- 


i 


328 


13: 


It 


(rrj- 


w 


le 


rmMJoo\r>^o  of  v^iStARiA 


-E 


that  no  Shojt^uii  force  miL,dit  iUtack  thcin  in 
the  rear. 

Mori  now  made  a  round  of  inspection  with- 
in the  ft)rtre.s.s.  Seeiiii,'  that  a  number  of  the 
guards  were  m  jK)sition  for  their  final  firing 
elevation,  the  Prince  called  Toro  to  him. 

"  Let  the  crew.s  be  drilled,"  he  ordered,  "but 
without  rai.sing  the  guns  above  the  tops  of  the 
trenches." 

The  3'oung  and  impetuous  Toro  gave  his 
orders  six.'edily.  The  crews  were  thus  famil- 
iarized with  their  pieces. 

During  the  course  of  the  forcncxin  it  was 
observed  that  the  foreign  fleet  changed  its 
ixxsition,  standing  off  from  land,  and  that  two 
vessels  left  the  squadron  and  di.sapi)cared 
around  the  headland. 

"  They  are  in  communication  with  the  Slio- 
gun's  jH-'ople,"  said  Mori,  idoud. 

"Catzu  will  be  ujxm  us  shortly,"  said  a 
voice  at  his  elbow. 

Turning,  Mori  found  the  youth  Jiro.  His 
eyes  warmed  with  interest  as  he  regarded 
kindly  the  boy  who,  with  the  spirit  of  a  samu- 
rai, had  never  faltered  in  his  service.  Feel- 
ing strangely  drawn  towards  Jiro,  the  Prince 
looked  about  him  for  some  piece  of  especial 
emjiloyment  lo  give  him  as  a  token  of  favor. 

"Ah,  my  boj',"  said  he,  "there  is  a  rare 
spirit  within  thee.  Would  that  thou  wert  a 
man." 

Hot  blood  colored  the  checks  of  the  bov. 


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His  eyes  clouded,  then  his  head  dr()<)i)etl  for- 
ward. 

"My  li-rd,  '  he  faUered,  almost  tremulously, 
"I  am  indeed  a  man,  I  de  assure  you." 
Mori  stiiiled. 

"  Ordy  a  boy,  Jiro,  that  is  all.     Out  see  yon- 
der, they  are  brin^intr  i"  the  last  and  lar^a'st 
of  the  ^'uns.     Do  thou  attend  its  mounting." 
"  And  after,"  asked  Jiro — "  after  it  is  mount- 
ed, my  lord,  who  is  then  to  have  charge  of  it?" 

"PerhaiKS  thou  ilso,"  replied  Mori,  stdl 
smilinjf. 

"I  thaidv  thee,  my  lord,"  said  Jiro,  bowing 
deeply  and  hurryintr  away. 

The  Prince  was  still  standintj  there,  smilinrr 
acro.ss  the  watc,  when  O^uri,  his  chief  of  staff, 
approached  him,  and  bowinjf  low,  awaited  his 
pleasure. 

"What  is  it,  Oyuri?"  he  asked. 

"  Your  highness,  the  I.ord  of  Catzu  is  at  the 
outer  iruard-j)ost,  announcing;  that  he  comes 
with  a  messaiifc  from  the  Shoij un. " 

Mori's  brows  darkened. 
^  "Tell  him,"  he  ordered,  "that  we  know  no 
Shogun  here,"  and  turned  ai^'ain  to  the  water- 
front. 

In  a  flash  he  saw  that  the  foreign  fleet  was 
approachipff  a  six)t  op|x)site  his  i)osition. 

OfXuri  maintained  his  {)lace. 

"Will  you  not  see  him?"  he  asked. 

The  sight  of  the  fleet  changed  the  deter- 
mination of  Mori. 


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"Tell  my  Lord  of  Catzu  thiit  1  will  sec 
him  outside  the  work.^,  as  Lord  Catzu  sim- 
I)ly.  Have  him  conducted  outside,  if  you 
please." 

The  Lord  of  Catzu  was  brought  to  the  spot 
mentioned  by  the  samurai  deputed  by  Oj^'uii. 
Mori  met  him  coldly.  When  Catzu  ofTered 
credentials  from  the  Vedo  jujovernment  the 
Prince  waived  them  aside. 

"No  credentials  are  necessary,  my  lord," 
he  said.  "  I  receive  you  as  a  private  indi- 
vidual." 

"I  come  as  an  oflficial,"  returned  Catzu. 

"  What  is  it  you  wish  to  say  to  me?"  inquired 
Mori,  in  as  haughty  a  tone  as  his  own. 

"  As  a  representative  of  the  Shotjun,  I  order 
you  to  disarm.  The  shogunate  alone  makes 
ix'ace  and  war." 

"I  have  the  sanction,  the  command,  of  the 
only  master  I  acknowledge — his  Serene  Maj- 
esty the  Mikado." 

Catzu  still  breathed  heavily  from  his  labored 
a.scent  of  the  hill,  for  the  Mori  men  had  refused 
to  jx'rmit  him  the  attendance  of  even  liis  run- 
ners. 

"  Do  you  still  refu.se  to  obey  the  august 
Shogun?"  he  cried,  testily  and  with  difliculty. 

"  I  obey  the  Mikado,"  returned  ..lori. 

"  Di.sarm!"  roared  the  now  infuriated  Catzu. 

Mori  rai.sed  his  hands  as  though  in  prep- 
aration for  a  signal.  He  held  them  aloft  as 
he  shouted : 


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"  I  shall  uivc  you  my  answer  with  awful 
I'fTcct,  your  highness." 

Sharply  Mori  lowered  his  hands.  The  sally- 
IK)rl  faciiiLT  lliLiii  crashed  sharply  oiic'ii,  dis- 
closiiiLj  the  interior  of  the  lately  erected  forti- 
licaliotis. 

"Look",  my  Lord  of  Catzu. " 

In  trepidation  Catzu  looked  ahout  hitii.  The 
silent,  absorbed  patriots  Were  at  their  tjtnis. 
Directly  across  from  the  sally-iH)rt  withni  the 
w<»rks  the  trun  of  Jiro  had  been  placed  in  jK)si. 
lion.  The  youth  be-'*  forward,  was  sitrhtnit,' 
the  piece,  while  Toro,  arms  akimbo,  sIckkI  back, 
approval   Aritten  uiK)n  his  face. 

"(luns  and  men,"  nniltered  Catzu;  then, 
catchim:  si^ht  of  Toro,  he  almost  rushed  upon 
him.  Toro,  surpriscxl,  turned  about  and  faccxl 
his  father. 

"  Thou  recreant  son !"  roared  the  senior  Lord 
of  Catzu.  Meetini;  his  father's  eyes  squarelj', 
Toro  kej)t  silence. 

"Thou  art,"  .said  Catzu,  "truly  a  vicious 
product.  Hast  thou  forgotten  all  the  precei)ts 
of  honor  tauuht  thee  from  childhood?  Thou 
art  no  son  of  mine,  nor  indeed  of  Japan,  for 
what  man  can  be  a  jtatriot  with  honor  who  sets 
his  father  at  defiance?  It  is  admitterl  Ijy  even 
tho.so  more  iuniorant  than  tliou  that  a  true  son 
owes  his  first  alle^nance  in  life  to  his  parent." 

"  \ay,  my  lord,"  replied  Toro,  quickly. 
"  You  do  labor  under  a  mistake.  The  first 
allcijfiance  a  .son  of  Japan  owes  to  any  man  is 


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that  claimed  of  him  by  his  suprfiiiL'  mastir, 
the  ICmiKTor.      IJaiizai,  the  .\hl<a(l(i!" 

Mori  .stc|»|K.'cl  (juictly  Ixfore  the  cnru^'ed 
Calzu. 

■■  .\o\v,  my  Lord  of  Cal/.u,"  he  said,  "you 
shall  have  my  answer." 

As  he  siM)lve,  he  caiiLrhl  iij)  a  li^ht  rifle  from 
a  uuard  at  tlu'  uate  and  lired  into  the  air.  In- 
stantly the  crews,  with  hoarse  cries,  elevated 
their  i)ieces  until  their  muzzles  stood  ahove 
the  breastworks;  carefully  they  trained  them 
uixdi  the  ships. 

"  l^eady,  my  loal,"  .shouted  Toro. 

"Readv,  my  lord,"  echoed  Omiri. 

Mori  made  a  si^n.  Instantly  a  heavy  dis- 
chari,'e  rent  the  air  and  shook  the  ^^round 
whereon  they  sIcmkI. 

Jiro,  at  his  ^un,  directly  l)efore  Mori  and 
Catzu,  himself  applied  the  match,  and  then, 
stepping:  back,  scpiinted  alonu  the  piece  to 
see  the  effect  of  his  lire.  The  ball  broke  a  fore- 
mast on  the  leading;  ves.sel.  In  consternation 
Catzu  left  the  place,  the  design  of  the  crafty 
Mori  to  embroil  him  with  tlie  enemy  ihrouLrh 
his  accidental  presence  dawnitm  ujK)n  him. 

For  upward  of  an  hour  the  firini.,'  continued. 
At  the  end  of  that  i)erit>d  the  ships  drew  off 
from  ran^'c'.  Mori,  elated  at  haviim  held  his 
own  against  the  foreigners,  and  now  certain 
of  the  con.sequences  of  his  actifm,  withdrew 
his  i)eople  from  the  batteries.  That  niuht  the 
army  rested,  fur  Mori  knew  that  the  fore!L:iiers 


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would  laj'  the  cause  of  the  Ijombardnient  to  the 
shoLiunate  and  make  new  deiiiands  uiK>n  it. 

The  next  day  a  courier  from  the  Kit)to  court 
entered   his  works. 

"It  is  some  new  mark  of  tlie  Mikado's  re- 
gard," cried  Toro,  impulsively. 

Sadly  Mori  smiled. 

"I  fear  me  it  is,"  he  said. 

With  a  calm  face  and  firm  hand  Mori  open- 
ed the  desi)atch.     His  face  darkened. 

"What  is  it?"  cried  Toro. 

"We  are  branded  as  outkiws,"  answered 
IVIori,  his  spirit  quite  gone,  a  deathly  i)allor 
creej>intj  over  his  face.  "  We  are  forbidden  to 
approach  the  Im{)erial  city." 

"Aidzu?"  whisjK-red  Jiro,  almost  in  tears. 

"Yes,  Aidzu,"  repeated  Mori. 

A  parri.son  was  left  in  the  works  in  charge 
of  Oguri,  who  was  to  make  more  intrench- 
ments.  Mori,  with  his  cavalry  and  fof)tmen, 
accompanied  by  Toro,  Jiro,  and  (ienji,  returned 
inland  that  night  to  the  fortress  of  the  Prince. 


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^THOUT  the  Imperial  city  of 
ioto,  in  an  open  field,  lay  cn- 
caniju'd  a  '  Ule  army  of  thiriecn 
hundred  men.  It  was  .some 
months  followiniu:  the  decisive 
action  of  Mori  at  Shimonoseki. 
Imi)erialists  of  the  neij^hborhotxl 
could  not  have  told  who  the 
conuuander  of  this  force  was. 
They  were  known  simply  as 
the  "Irregulars." 

Small  as  was  the  force,  it  was 
admirably  trained  and  drilled 
in  all  three  of  its  divisions  of 
cavalry,  infantry,  and  artillery. 
Each  division  was  the  flower 
and  choice  of  some  larger  bfxly. 

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Tlic  force,  whirli  liad  remained  in  inaction  for 
a  considcrahle  i)cn(Kl,  showed  ncvcrtliclcss  a 
state  of  ndint,r  vigilance,  whether  f(»r  attaci< 
or  defence  cuuld  not  have  been  told  from  its 
.'ippearance. 

The  cam])  was  in  the  sha])e  of  an  elonuated 
circle,  whose  circumftrence  was  reuularly  df- 
(incd  by  field-pieces  set  at  reuular  intervals, 
and  trained  to  oppose  any  invading  force. 
Xear  each  cannon  were  tethered  tiie  horses  fur- 
nishing the  motive  |M)wer.  Hard  by,  stretch- 
ed upon  the  ground,  or  lounuui^  within  the 
scant  shadows  of  the  .^un-carriayes,  were  the 
artillerymen.  Infantry  guards,  iti  armor,  and 
for  the  most  part  armed  with  rifles,  patrolled 
the  s])ace  without  the  circle.  Other  soldiers 
and  samurai,  armed  only  with  swords,  sat  in 
theitpeninus  of  tents  assigned  to  their  division, 
or  occupied  the  time  in  sword  exerci.sc  in  the 
oi)cn  sj)aces  between  their  shelters.  Near  the 
centre  of  the  encam])ment  were  assembled  the 
horses  of  the  cavalry  division,  saddled  and  in 
comi)lete  readiness  for  their  riders,  who  lounged 
near  by. 

Within  a  short  stone's-throw  of  the  horse- 
men was  i)itched  what  .seemed,  from  its  com- 
mandinjj;  i)osili<)n  on  a  little  eminence,  the  tent 
of  the  commander  of  the  "  Irregulars."  Close 
by  its  entrance  stood  an  enormous  sanuirai, 
who.se  naked  sword  was  held  lij^htly,  care- 
lessly, in  his  hand.  In  conversation  with  him 
stood  a  hardy  youth,  attired  as  a  cavalryman. 


336 


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The  curtains  of  the  tent  on  llic  cniinLiKC 
were  parted  deftly,  and  the  slight  li(,aire  of  a 
boy  hastened  towards  the  two. 

"My  Lord  of  Catzii,"  he  said,  "the  IVince 
Mori  desires  your  presence,  and  that  of  you 
also.  Sir  (ienji." 

Toro  smiled  at  the  youth's  cercinoniousness. 

"Is  there  news,  my  Jiro?"  he  asked. 

"Oj^uri,  as  you  know,  has  arrived  from  the 
south,  and  our  enemies  have  rei)orted  concern- 
ing the  condition  of  the  city." 

The  three  hastened  within,  where  they  found 
Oguri  and  Mori. 

"  Now,  then,  Oguri,  your  news,"  commanded 
Mori. 

"Your  highness,"  said  Oguri,  "the  British 
have  bombarded  Kagoshima  as  a  result  of  our 
attack  upon  ihe  foreign  fleet." 

"Kagoshima!"  exclaimtxl  Mori — "the  cap- 
ital of  our  old  friend  Satsuma.  Then,  indecxl, 
havt   we  brought  trouble  ujxm  our  allies." 

Other  members  of  Mon's  staff  sent  through 
Kioto  reported  the  results  of  their  investiga- 
tions. The  premier  Echizen  had  abolishcxl  the 
custom  of  the  daimio's  compulsory  residence 
in  Yedo  during  a  {xirtion  of  each  year,  and  now 
all  these  territorial  lords  resided  in  Kioto. 
Within  the  Imperial  palace  of  Konmiei  Tenno 
the  Lord  Aidzu  appeared  to  have  controlling 
influence.  The  Lord  of  Catzu  was  there  with 
him  in  consuKation.  Troo|)s  of  the  Aidzu  clan 
had  arrived  at  the  palace  in  great  numbers 


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and  were  encamped  in  the  flo'.ver -  iLjardens. 
Thouj^h  loathint,r  the  shot,ainate,  the  Mikado 
appeared  to  he  coiiij)lctely  under  its  control. 
Having  ascertained  these  facts,  Mori  dis- 
missed all  the  staff  save  Offuri,  Toro,  (lenji, 
and  Jiro. 

"No  answer  has  come  to  our  i)etition?"  he 
asked. 

The  four  shook  their  heads. 

"Xoiie,"  they  said. 

"  Vou  have  heard  the  refxirts,"  conlinucxl 
Mori,  "and  will  i)erceive  that  the  Aidzu-Catzu 
party,  now  in  iMKssession  of  the  Emj)eror's 
IX'rson  and  the  palace,  are  determined  U])<m 
somethiniT.  These  constant  arrivals  of  new 
troops,  the  silence  of  the  Mikado  to  our  |)cti- 
tion,  the  crowdinj.,^  of  the  jwlace  with  armed 
saiiuirai— all  the.sc  thintis  mean  that  we  are 
to  be  punished  for  havintr  |)etitioned  the  Mi- 
kado to  remove  from  us  the  ban  of  outlaw." 

"Then,  your  hij^^hness,"  broke  in  Toro, 
"since  the  |K'tition  was  not  sitrnetl  by  you, 
but  came  from  us,  your  followers,  they  may 
now  know  of  your  arrival  here,  and  may  be 
preparin)^  to  send  out  an  cxiK-dition  against 
you  in  the  south.' 

"No,"  replied  Mori,  "I  think  they  know  I 
am  here  with  you,  and  projjose  to  attack  me 
at  once  here  in  my  camp.  Now,  my  friends, 
the  time  has  come  for  me  to  disclose  to  you  the 
real  pun)o.se  of  this  exfHxlition.  We  have  re- 
sjx^ctfully  petitioned  the  Mikado  to  admit  us 


338 


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aKain  to  his  favor.     He  is  silent.     lie  is  sur- 
rounded by  his  enemies.     We  must  attack  the 
j)alace  and  rid  it  of  the  Aidzu-Catzu   combi- 
nation, thus  allowini;  the  Mikado  once  more 
to  become  a  free  at^ent. " 
0\s,\\n  and  (lenji  leaixxl  to  their  swords. 
"Now,  on  the  instant,  my  lord,"  they  cried. 
I\Iori  answered,  calmly: 
"Xo;  we  ujust  first  ^lixm  .some  knowledge  «.f 
the  exact  plans  of  those  within  the  palace. 
I  want  a  volunteer  for  this  service  " 

Simultaneously  the  four  cried  out  for  the 
service.     Mori  considered. 

"No,  not  you,  Toro;  you  would  be  recog- 
lized  too  quickly;  nor  you,  Oguri,  for  you  are 
needed  sorely  here.  Perhaps  you,  Genji,  but 
you  are  too  large." 

"1  am  small.  The  task  is  mine,"  broke  in 
Jiro.     "1  will  go." 

"Not  without  me,"  said  Gcnji. 
"  Why  not  without  you,  Sir  Genji?"  inquired 
Mori,  mildly.     "  The  boy  Jiro  needs  no  guar- 
dian.    He  has  proved  his  valor  and  discretion 
uixm  many  an  wcasion." 

With  a  smile  whose  influence  was  ever  potent 
with  the  Shining  Prince,  Jiro  moved  nearer 
his  commander.     He  said,  gently: 

"  Permit  Sir  Gcnji  to  accom;xiny  mc.  I  have 
resources  within  the  ixilace  I  need  not  speak 
of  now,  which  will  insure  me  complete  safety, 
but  I  would  ask  that  the  .samurai  be  placed  "— 
he  smiled  boyishly—"  uiider  my  command,  so 


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that  if  f  am  forced  to  remain  within  the  palace 
he  may  carry  to  you  whatever  news  I  may 
gain.'' 

"What  do  you  mean?"  inquired  Mori. 
"  What  resources  can  you  have  in  the  Mi- 
kado's j)alace?" 

The  lad,  stammerinjij,  blushed. 

"My  lord,  "  he  .said,  "you  know  I  visited  the 
I)alace  before,  and — and — " 

He  broke  off  in  confusion. 

"As  you  will,"  said  Mori,  turning  aside. 

An  hour  later  the  .sanmrai  (ienji  strfxle 
through  the  eastern  gate  of  Konunei  Tenno's 
palace,  accompanied  by  a  young  woman  with 
the  air  of  a  princess.  The}'  were  allowed  to 
pass,  while  Genji  answered  the  challenge  of 
the  guard  readily. 

"Of  the  household  of  the  Lord  Catzu,"  he 
said,  jKiinting  to  the  young  woman.  "My 
lord's  aj)artments?" 

The  guard  indicated  the  house  in  which  the 
Lord  Catzu  had  temi)orarily  taken  up  his  resi- 
dence. Without  further  challenge,  the  two 
reached  the  door  of  Catzu's  private  aj^artment. 
The  guard  at  the  door,  recognizing  the  two, 
ushered  them  into  the  presence  of  the  Lord 
Catzu. 

They  found  him  before  a  table  on  which  were 
spread  i)lans  and  letters,  hi  irritation  at  being 
disturbed  in  the  midst  of  some  important  em- 
ployment, Catzu  glanced  ui)  from  his  .scrolls. 

His  face  became  purple  with  astonishment 


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and  mingled  emotions.  From  the  caverns  of 
flesh  surrounding  his  puffy  cheeks  his  httle 
eyes  gleamed.  He  stared  at  the  two  with  his 
mouth  agape.  They  regarded  liim  smilingly. 
Finally  Catzu  gasped  'jut : 

"By  the  god  Bishamon!"  and  again  lapsed 
speechle.ss. 

The  woman,  advancing,  knelt  at  his  feet. 

Catzu  lifted  her  into  his  arms. 

"Wistaria!"  he  exclaimed. 

"  Yes,"  she  smiled  up  at  him.  "  It  is  indeed 
Wistaria." 

Catzu  held  her  at  arm'.s-length. 

"Ah,  my  lady,"  he  chuckled,  wagging  his 
head  at  her,  "  it  is  plain  to  be  seen  that  a  re- 
ligious life  has  dried  your  tears  and  honora- 
bly mended  a  foolish  heart-break.  The  moun- 
tains have  made  you  as  rosy  as  its  flowers 
and  as  strong  and  hardy  as  its  trees." 

"And  ihou,  dear  uncle?"  she  inquired. 
"Thou,  too,  seemest  in  good  health  and 
spirits." 

Catzu  sighed,  somewhat  out  of  keeping  with 
his  fat  and  happj'  apix?a  ranee. 

"Akis,  my  dear  Wistaria,"  he  said,  "your 
poor  old  uncle  has  suffered  much." 

"But  how?"  asked  Wistaria  with  feigned 
surprise. 

A  tear  apjjeared  in  Catzu 's  eyes  and  rolled 
over  his  puffed  cheeks. 

"I  have  lost  my  graceless  son,"  he  said. 

"My  uncle!"  said  Wistaria,  symi)athetical- 


IP 


# 


* 


TOE.M/oOiJSO  Of?  \fJ\%tkK\k 


Gz^i=3: 


ix: 


-3E: 


=f 


ly,  while  she  looked  i)ast  him  at  (Jenji  with  a 
knowinji^  (s'litni^i?- 

Catzu  also  turned  towards  (ienji. 

"And  you,  Sir  (Ienji,  what  became  of  you? 
Now,  sir,  tell  me  how  it  comes  that  you  arc 
here  with  my  lady  niece." 

"My  lord,"  answered  (Ienji,  "I  joined  my 
lady,  summonetl  by  a  niessen^jer  ni  Yoko- 
hama, on  the  day  of  the  reception  in  the 
Treatj'  House.  I  turned  my  pris(jners  over  to 
another.  I  trust  they  were  deservedly  i)un- 
ished  for  their  oilence." 

"Nay,"  said  Catzu,  "they  escajK-d.  But 
no  matter.  And  you.  Wistaria,  have  you  any 
love  left  for  that  husband  of  yours  who  de- 
serted you  on  your  weddin^Mlay,  or  have  the 
mountains  and  the  gods  taught  you  of  his 
ba.sene,ss?" 

Wistaria's  features  darkened  in  seeming 
hate. 

"I  could  kill  him,"  she  said.  Under  her 
breath  she  added,  "Forgive  me." 

The  Lord  Catzu  appeared  satisfied  and  turn- 
ed to  Genji. 

"You  may  resume  your  old  place  in  my 
train.     There  will  be  work  for  you  soon." 

Genji  bowing,  withdrew. 

"Uncle,"  said  Wistaria,  "tell  me  what  your 
words  just  now  meant?" 

"  Presently,  presently,"  returned  Catzu.  "  I 
have  good  news  for  you.  But,  iirst,  what  of 
yourself?" 


fr- 


3E: 


X 


=ir: 


> 


or- 


4^ 


-* 


TJie.VOOjiSG  Of?  v;iSTAR>A 


an 


^ 


.*i 


H 


t*. 


Wistaria  shrup^cd  her  pretty  shoulders. 

"  Oh,  of  myself  there  is  little  to  tell.  I  grew 
tired  of  the  service  of  the  temple.  Thou  know- 
est  that  I  was  never  meant  for  a  priestess. 
Thou  didst  use  to  declare,"  she  added,  smil- 
ing ro^'uishly,  "  that  the  g(xls  desij^jned  me 
for  the  court." 

"True,  true,"  said  Catzu,  reiLiardintr  her 
fondly,  "and  more  than  ever  I  declare  it. 
Thou  hast  budded  into  a  very  beautiful  wom- 
an, my  little  niece.  But  continue.  Thou 
wert  tired  of  the  temple — \'cs?" 

"Well,  I  thought  I  had  surely  ofTered  up 
sufficient  st5pi)lication  to  the  k(x1s  to  have 
saved  a  hundred  ancestors  and  i)arents'  au- 
jfust  souls.  So  I  sent  for  (lenji,  and  have,  as 
thou  seest,  returned  unto  thee.  " 

"Thou  didst  well.  And,  what  is  more,  it 
shall  be  my  task  to  punish  your  husband." 

Wistaria  averted  lier  face  for  a  moment. 
Then  .seating  herself  on  the  floor,  comfortably 
against  his  knee,  she  rai.sed  to  him  innocent 
eyes. 

"Punish  him?  Why,  how  can  that  be, 
honorable  uncle?" 

"  He  is  encamjxjd  near  by  with  a  rebel  army," 
said  Catzu,  lowering  his  voice  confidentially; 
"  the  day  after  lev-morrow  we  .send  an  army 
of  chastisement  against  him  under  the  valiant 
Prince  of  Mito. " 

"The  Prince  of  Mito,"  repeated  Wistaria, 
half  aloud. 


H 


1 


^ 


343 


<^ 


+ 


"\f.s,  a  brave  nohlcmaii  I  dt'sirc  to  become 
j'our  husband  in  lime.  Vou  will  be  free  ere 
lonj,',  I  do  assure  you.  "  Catzu  chuckled  con- 
fidently. 

"What  is  the  ofTencc  of — of— this  rebel?" 
"  Your  husband  dojr  ?     I  If  consj)ires  apainst 
the  Mikado.     Oh,  we  shall  drive  him  out." 

An  attendant,  interrupting  them,  ushered  in 
Aidzu.  Wistaria  slii)i)ed  to  the  door.  Catzu 
recalled  her. 

"Thou  inayest  remain,  niece.  Hear  our 
plans.     They  closely  concern  thee." 

"  I  will  return  in  a  moment ;  but  Genji  has 
my  perfume  sack,  which  1  desire." 

Outside  the  door.  Wistaria  spoke  in  an  ex- 
cited whisix.>r  to  Genji. 

"Quick,  Genji,  you  must  hasten  back  to  the 
camp  without  delay.  Tell  the  Prince  that  an 
anny  of  chastisement  under  the  j'oung  Prince 
of  Ahto  will  attack  him  the  day  after  to-morrow. 
You  yourself  have  seen  the  forces  in  the  gar- 
dens. Go  to  the  camp  at  once.  JVlake  your 
report  and  return  then  to  me." 
"And  thou,  my  lady?" 
"  I  cannot  return  at  this  time  without  ex- 
citing suspicion.  jKrhaps  ha;.tening  the  attack 
upon  my  lord  by  a  day.  I  must  remain.  I 
can  be  of  service  here." 

"  I  like  not  to  leave  thee,"  said  Genji,  in  great 
doubt  and  perplexitj'. 

"Nay,  you  must  do  so;  I  insi.st." 
"I  caimot.     AIv  dutv— " 


344 


=X 


a 


|;l.;.i    .„ 


m: 


m^v 


— r- 


^  - 


X- 


* 


"Ah,  (it^tiji,"  rctiKinslratcd  Wi.slariii,  "the 
h  devotion  of  a  samurai  is  best  proved  by  his 
obedience.  (Jo  thou  to  the  camp  of  my  lord; 
do,  I  bcK — nay,  I  command  thee." 

Cicnji  bent  his  forehead  to  her  hand,  then 
very  sKiwly  turned  and  Icfl  ht  • . 

Her  uncle,  growia  ii.  li^tient  for  liis  niete, 
came  into  the  ante-chamber. 


I 


Q  — 


345 


TOE  -WOOirsG  Oi'  ViSTAPJA     n 


HE  report  of  the  samurai  Tieiiji 
caused  an  instant  stir  of  prei> 

t|  aration  throut^^hout  the  camp 
of  Mori.  The  commanders  of 
the  batteries  insjX'cted  their 
pieces   carefully,   K'vinj^  orders 

^  for  hurried  repairs  where  neces- 
sary ;  horses  were  examined 
foot  by  foot,  and  within  the 
tent  of  the  Irretridars'  leader  a 
last  council  of  the  staff  arranged 
the  details  of  an  early  moniinff 
march.  Then  the  rank  and  fde 
were  sent  to  sleep  upon  their 
arms. 

"  You    are    certain    Jiro    is 
in    no    danger?"  Mori    asked, 


3En 


X 


just  before  tlic   siumirai's    return  to  the  pal- 
ace. 

"None  whatever,"  answered  (It-nji,  "even 
if  I  am  not  with  hiiii,  your  hiuhness.  He  has 
friends  at  court  and  may  yet  ser\e  us  further." 

Reheved  in  mind  cuncernini,'  the  safety  of 
the  youth,  in  whom  Mori  placed  deep  con- 
fidence and  for  whom  he  had  ureat  affection, 
tlie  leader  of  the  Irregulars  returned  to  his  tent. 
There  he  found  his  staff,  the  leadint;  ku^e  of 
C'hoshui,  still  gathered,  thouuh  the  morning's 
attack  had  been  thorou;,dily  ordered. 

Seatintr  himself,  .Mori  betjan  the  comiKisi- 
tion  of  a  memorial  to  the  Im|)erial  throne, 
(llancing  uj),  he  siiw  his  oflicer.s  silently  watch- 
ing him. 

"What  is  it?"  he  inquired. 

OKuri  stepix'd  forward.  There  wa.s  a  stranpe 
f,'ravity  atid  even  sadness  in  his  face  as  he 
bowetl  deeply  before  his  sujx.'rior. 

"Your  hij,'hness,"  he  said,  "our  cause  is 
just,  and  history  should  accord  us  our  proi)er 
place  when  the  anti-Shogun   government   is 
established." 
1  es. 

"But  it  is  of  the  present  we  think." 

"Si)eak  on." 

"The  present  esteem  of  our  friends  in  the 
Kioto  court —  we  must  advise  them  of  our 
purity  of  motive." 

Mori  held  up  quietly  the  scroll  upon  which 
he  had  been  engaged.     He  replied: 


347 


"tP 


a 


5: 


ff 


4 


"I  liavc  thought  of  that.  At  tliis  moment 
T  am  iiuliliiit,'  a  mrmorial  to  tlic  ihnnic,  hcp^jing 
his  Iini)crial  Majesty's  pardon  for  creatitg  a 
disturbance  so  near  to  the  base  of  the  chariot 
(throne),  but  declarinj^  that  we  do  it  that  he 
may  rule  without  a  Shotgun,  the  st)le  and  Im- 
jxTial  master  of  his  own  empire.  " 

The  ofiicers  looked  at  each  other  with  solemn 
expressions  of  apj)roval. 

"My  lord,"  said  Oj^^uri,  "wc  would  wish 
also  to  write  letters  lO  our  [KTsonal  friends  at 
the  lmi)erial  court.  May  we  have  your  august 
l>ermission  to  do  so?" 

"  Do  .so  at  once,  my  brave  men,"  returned 
.Mori,  "but  do  not  forj:fet  tliat  we  cannot  .send 
iheiu  this  nij.;ht,  since  that  would  warn  them 
of  our  contemplated  attack.  Leave  your  let- 
ters with  me.  Write  them  here,  if  you  wish, 
and  I  will  be  resjujiisible  for  their  delivery." 

Then  the  company,  careful  of  their  honor 
with  their  friends  and  foes  alike  at  court,  set 
to  their  task.  With  tears  in  their  eyes,  the 
j)atriots  traced  uiM)n  thf  i)ai»er  woids  of  devcv 
tion  to  iheir  country  and  their  cau.se.  St)on 
a  little  j)i]e  of  ej)istles  lay  under  Mori's  hand. 
Thtir  valor  was  in  no  way  diminished  by  this 
satisfaction  of  their  honor. 

Durintr  the  ni^ht  Mori  obiaincd  some  rest, 
which  was  broken  at  intervals  when  bands  of 
roniiis,  who  had  devoted  themselves  since  the 
Vedo  troul)l(.s  to  the  extermination  of  anti- 
Impcrialists,  came  to  his  encamjMnent,  offcr- 


X 


PA 


348 


^i 


-il 


inj^  their  sci  .  s  in  any  movement  against 
the  Aidzu-Catzi  combination.  So  small  was 
Mori's  force  that  he  would  have  been  ^Mad  of 
their  aid,  but  for  his  unwillimrness  to  stand 
sjxmsor  for  their  unlicensed  acts. 

At  the  hour  when  the  Lord  of  Catzu  was 
unsealing  a  letter  from  his  son,  Tore,  justify- 
in„f  all  his  actions  in  the  past,  and  at  the  same 
time  beseeching,'  his  father's  foriLjiveness,  the 
httle  force  of  Irrej,ailars  encircled  the  Imi)crial 
palace. 

The  Lord  of  Catzu  had  read  enouj.,'h  of  the 
letter  to  understand  its  imiwrt,  when  the  move- 
ments of  the  army  without,  accentuated  by  the 
sharp  cries  of  the  guarding  samurai,  came  to 
his  ears. 

"  There  has  been  some  strange  trea.son  here," 
cried  Catzu,  wildly,  as  he  summoned  his  fol- 
lowers to  arms. 

Mori's  plan  of  battle  was  simple.  The  force 
had  been  dividetl  into  three  divisions,  com- 
manded by  himself,  Oguri,  and  Ton)  resi)ec- 
tively.  It  was  not  without  misgivings  that 
the  Prince  had  intrusted  the  command  of  a 
division  to  the  rash  Toro,  but  the  reflection 
that  his  very  temerity  might  be  a  valuable 
element  m  the  day's  events  had  decided 
him. 

Each  of  the.se  divisions  was  to  proceed  to  a 
diflerent  gate,  through  which  a  simultaneous 
attack  ujHjn  the  inner  palace  was  to  be  made. 
Those  within  were  to  be  driven  out  by  the 


* 


H" 


X 


X 


349 


t 


1^ 


t 
* 


infantry  into  thf  streets,  where  cavalry  and 
artillery  would  cut  and  jmhuuI  them  to  pieces. 

The  artillery  was  ujMin  no  account  to  be 
directed  against  the  ])alace  itself,  since  the 
life  of  the  Son  of  Heaven  and  the  safety  of 
the  char^in^  forces  within  niijrht  thereby  be 
imperilled.  A  portion  of  the  artillery  was 
j^nven  to  each  division  ;  the  cavalry,  actinjj^  as 
one  I)ody,  was  to  act  as  the  circumstances 
mif^ht  re(]uire. 

To  hiiu.self  and  a  band  of  chosen  samurai, 
Mori  reserved  the  ca])ture  and  ^uardint^  of 
the  Emix-ror's  sacred  i)erson. 

At  the  western  ^ate  Mori  halted  the  van  of 
his  division,  while  the  cavalry,  clo.-^ely  com- 
l)act,  rested  on  his  riirht  in  readiness  for  their 
orders.  At  his  left  \.  as  his  artillery  force, 
so  arranged  that  their  lire  should  cut  obliquely 
the  line  of  entrance. 

The  Irre^julars  who  faced  the  samurai  jjuard- 
iiitj  this  }M>rt  of  entrance  presented  a  far  from 
uniform  aspect.  They,  the  infantry  of  his 
force,  were  all  in  armor,  but  their  weajions 
differed.  Some  carried  rifles,  others  were 
armed  with  sjxjars,  swords,  and  bows  and 
arrows.  They  were  tjathered  into  corps  ac- 
cordint:  to  the  nature  of  their  arms,  but  all  were 
infantry. 

At  a  signal  from  Mori  a  rifle  volley  cut  down 
the  .samurai  at  the  tjate.  Those  who  were 
struck  dashed  thnuiuh  the  portals,  whence 
i.ssued  audible  proofs  of  the  alarm  felt  within. 


J     issueo  aiu 


I 


^' 


350 


r^     TOE  -VOOj^iO  Of  N^iSTAPJ A 


.^ 


^ 


ae: 


Instantly  the  mnks  of  the  infantn-  iwrtwl 
to  iH.'nnit  the  passapc  of  a  body  of  laborers 
and  sai)i)ers,  who,  attackinsir  the  gate  with 
their  jmh,  ^rave  {mnnise  of  a  six-edy  breach. 

At  the  iuoiiient  wheti  one  of  the  dtnms  ^ave 
way,  when  the  infantry,  strainintr  every  nerve, 
waited  couched  for  the  char^a-,  wheti  Ahjri 
in  their  rear  gathered  about  hi  .  the  jHcked 
sauuirai  lie  was  to  lead,  there  thundered  from 
a  fx)int  across  the  i)alace  directly  opijosite  the 
heavy  detonation  of  artillery. 

The  commander  was  thrown  into  prave  anx- 
iety. From  its  volume  he  knew  that  one  of 
his  lieutenants,  disobeying?  his  orders,  was 
shelling  the  Inii)enal  pal.ice.  The  safety  of 
the  EmiK>ror,  and  his  own  pood  faith,  were 
equally  endanizered,  since  the  death  of  the 
Mikado  would  make  him  and  his  men  choteki 
(traitors)  in  the  eyes  of  the  nation. 

Mori  came  to  an  instant  decision.  Even 
at  the  c.tsi  of  the  utter  failure  of  the  storming 
of  the  i)alace,  such  a  false  i)osition  must  be 
avoided  Couimiitmtr  the  ci.ssault  of  the  west- 
ern pate  to  a  younp  olHicer,  and  biddinp  his 
picked  .samurai  follow  him,  he  seized  the  horse 
an  attendant  held  for  him,  and  pallo}x?d  around 
the  anple  of  the  palace  wall. 

When  he  came  withm  sipht  of  the  central 
pate  of  the  eastern  wall,  Mori  saw  that  Toro, 
wearyinp  of  the  slowness  of  his  pioneers,  had' 
ordered  his  artillery  to  batter  down  tlie  d(X)rs. 
One  small   volley   had    been   firetl   when   the 


A> 


=3C: 
351 


rx 


-3 


f 


-3 


'*aL*L-.  fc  -^tf- 


THE  .H/oojisG  oj^  \WSTAR)A     n 


^ 


f 


i^ 


# 


Prince,  ridiniz  fiercely  at  the  men  serving  the 
^nnis.  beat  them  down  with  the  flat  of  his 
sword. 

"  Remove  these  ^uns  at  once,"  he  shouted; 
"  you  nmst  not  fire." 

Sheej)ishly  the  Kunnc!^  [ticked  themselves 
up,  as  the  horses  dratj^ed  the  jneces  to  one 
side.  Mori,  dismounting,  stnKle  up  to  Tore, 
now  standinir  abashed  before  the  very  gate  he 
was  to  storm. 

"  Vou  are  suiK'rseded,"  roared  the  enraged 
Mori.     "I  give  the  command  to — " 

With  a  quick,  almost  sui)erhimianly  nervous 
movement,  the  gates  were  thrust  aside  from 
within.  The  lilack  muzzles  of  cannon  threat- 
ened the  now  disorganized  division  of  the 
Irregulars. 

"After  me,"  cried  Mori. 

A  flying  leap  earned  him  across  the  line 
of  cannon.  Out  from  their  mouths  belched 
their  lire.  The  invaders  were  swept  aside. 
Mori,  striking  terriljle  blows  about  him,  or- 
dered his  men  to  advance,  when  the  Shogun 
cannon  were  withdrawn,  and  a  IkxIj-  of  horse- 
men, with  savage  cries,  rushed  from  within 
the  jialace,  driving  before  them  and  scattering 
the  survivors  of  Toro's  division. 

A  horse  felled  Mori  and  tossed  him  aside. 
As  he  struck  the  ground  a  gigantic  sanmrai 
seized  his  motionless  fonn,  threw  it  across  his 
shoulder,  and  earned  it  into  the  group  of 
|)alaces. 


X 


C:=±=2 ^ 


f^ 


w 


a 


y 


The  body  ->!  clioscn  anuirai  who  had  fol- 
lowed  Mori,  more  slowly  because  on  fcx)t,  now 
came  up,  and  made  a  disheartening^  stand. 
A  terril)le  cry  a;o.se  that  earned  dismay,  dis- 
organization, and  defeat  tu  all  divisions  of  the 
Irregulars. 

"The  Shininjj  Prin  is  ikcn!  Mori  is 
killed!"  was  shouted  by  .some  witle.ss  mem- 
ber of  Toro's  division. 

Taken  up  by  others,  the  report  came  to  the 
oflicers  in  wl  .se  char^'e  the  various  divi- 
sions had  been  placed.  .\lth.  ij.,di  Otjuri  made 
every  efl"  rt  to  carry  cohesion  throu^rhout  the 
force,  the  shout  had  done  its  work.  Mori, 
the  Shining  Prince,  their  invincible  leader, 
was  dead,  thouj^ht  the  rank  and  file.  All  war- 
lost.  With  such  a  spirit  to  combat,  the  of- 
ficers couid  do  nolhinj;. 

A  su}K.'rstitious  fear  that  the  k^^ls  had  de- 
.serted  them  entirely  for  their  .sacrilegious  act 
of  attackmjjf  the  palace  of  their  ref)re,senta- 
tive  on  earth,  the  divine  Mikado,  added  ter- 
ror to  the  Irreuulars. 

Some  little  advantage  was  gained  here  and 
there  l)y  eharj.,res  into  tlu  gardens  of  the  palace, 
but  the  ^reat  force  of  Aidzu  easily  repelled 
them  Then  iK)uring  out  into  the  streets, 
lite  arm\  of  chasii.sement,  under  the  younL^ 
iViiice  (.f  .Mito,  cut  asunder  the  already  divided 
and  leaderiess  force  of  Choshui.  Away  from 
viciiiii\    of    the    Imix.Tial    enclosure    the 


^ 


the 


^.^     centre  of  battle  rolled. 


3S3 


The  cavalry  of  Mori, 


«" 


"n""' 


% 


c4= 


i 


^T 


TOR.\UOO)jsG  OF  \WSTAR)A 


:^z 


laJU^ 


e: 


# 


dashing  about  compactly,  made  charges  that 
were  intended  to  rally  ihe  men  c)f  Choshui, 
but  fruitlessly.  They  alone,  of  all  the  bodies 
of  the  M(  fi  army,  hunfj  together. 

The  Shogun  troop,  having  seized  the  cannon 
of  Toro's  division,  turned  them  ujxm  the  Im- 
})erialists.  I'lesh  trooi)s,  ordered  to  the  palace 
some  days  l)ef<)re  by  Aidzu,  now  arriving, 
overwhelmed  by  sheer  swamping  efTect  the 
.jrtillery  of  Mori,  once  their  fire  was  drawn. 
Most  of  Mori's  artillery  was  now  in  the  hands 
of  the  sh()gun.i!f> 

As  the  flo(xl  of  hghting  men  surged  through 
the  city  of  Kioto  in  diverse,  disintegrating 
directions,  fire  ingulfed  large  ix)rtions  of  the 
city.  A  gale  s})rang  up  fn  .m  the  west,  fanning 
♦  he  work  of  incendiarism  and  cannon.  Houses, 
squares,  streets,  yashishikis  of  the  visiting 
daimios,  whole  districts  were  destroyed,  while 
the  bakufu  followers  cannonaded  and  beat 
to  jMcces  the  jmblic  store-houses,  lest  some 
Choshui  men  should  find  hiding  there.  The 
lowly  VAu  in  their  i)eaceful  villages  were  driven 
out  and  their  hou.ses  consumed  before  the 
breath  of  angry  war.  An  Im[x;rial  city  fell 
almost  to  a.shes  and  ruin  in  a  day  and  night. 

Hut  scattered  and  isolated  as  they  were, 
the  valorous  men  of  Choshui,  once  they  re- 
coxercd  themselves  from  the  disaster  of  the 
palace,  made  a  last,  wild,  determined  resist- 
ance, 

A  party  under  Toro,  now  insane  with  grief, 

J     -       1    -I 


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occupied  house  after  house  and  buildim;  after 
building,  as  with  their  ntles  they  brouj^'ht  down 
the  enemy  during  a  slow  retreat,  when  they 
fired  every  edifice  they  were  forced  to  abandon. 

Darkness  drew  no  kindly  curtain  ovei  the 
red-heated  stage  of  action.  The  liglit  of  vast 
conflagrations  gave  suflicient  illutniriation  for 
sword  to  meet  sword  in  a  shocl;  broken  only 
by  death.  The  houseless,  homeless  residents 
of  the  city,  non-combatants,  fleeing  to  the  hills 
for  their  lives,  deei)ened  the  tragetly  of  the 
scene. 

In  the  ccmfusion  of  this  isolated  series  of 
battles,  Oguri  had  come  uiK)n  the  cavalry 
division.  \'aultnig  into  an  empty  saddle,  he 
took  conunand.  Diffused  as  the  avenging 
wave  of  the  young  Mito  had  now  become,  it 
could  be  broken  through  in  some  single  sjH)t, 
Oguri  believed.  The  bakufu  men  thought 
only  of  attack,  not  of  beitig  attacked. 

Through  a  quarter  of  the  town  as  yet  un- 
touched by  the  fury  of  either  party,  Oguri  led 
the  cavalry  back  towards  the  palace.  Coming 
UfX)n  Toro's  party,  he  added  them  to  his  forces. 
But  with  his  meeting  of  Toro  he  had  chanced 
uix)n  a  fighting  zone.  Through  the  cleared 
space  on  which  still  smouldered  the  ruins  of 
buildings  fired  by  Toro,  Oguri  directed  a 
charge  against  the  infantry  opiK).sc-d  to  him, 
and  passed  on.  In  this  way,  Oguri  gained 
gradually  a  pas.sage  towards  the  palace. 
Whenever   he    came    to    a    region    of   hcnises 


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from  which  he  was  attacked,  Toro  and  his 
followers,  become  pioneers  aiul  sapi^Ts,  lev- 
elled and  set  fire  to  them,  clearing;  the  way 
for  a  new  char^je  of  O^uri's  horse. 

Slowly,  still  undiscovered  by  the  main  bod}' 
of  the  enemy,  they  reached  the  palace. 

Gray,  disnicU,  haj^gard  dawned  the  da\',  a.s 
though  fearing  to  look  with  sun  eyes  uiK)n 
the  horror  wrought  by  dark  night.  From 
the  burning  city  great  mists  of  smouldering 
debris  hastened  to  veil,  as  though  in  .sym- 
pathy, the  eyes  of  the  lord  of  day. 

Within  the  palace  Mori  came  to  consciou.s- 
ness.  He  lay  in  a  chamber  looking  ujK^n 
what  he  recognized  as  the  inner  court  of  the 
Imj)erial  palace.  One  hand  wandered  in  con- 
vulsive movements  down  his  |)er.son.  lie 
found  that  his  armor  was  still  ujx)!!  him, 
though  loosened.  Upon  the  floor  by  the  side 
(>f  his  divan  lay  his  swords  and  helmet.  Mori 
fell,  rather  than  rose,  from  the  divan,  and  sUkkI 
dizzily,  uncertainly  erect.  Then  attempting  to 
raise  his  sword,  he  fell  from  weakness. 

At  the  sound  a  woman  came  forward  from 
the  recesses  of  the  apartment.  Mori  regarded 
her  with  delirious  eyes.  She  seemed  a  white 
{)hantom  who  had  risen  up  in  his  jiath  to  taimt 
him  with  her  wondrous  loveliness.  Hut  over 
her  there  was  the  gauzy  cloud  of  falsity.  She 
was  a  vampire. 

"You  are  yourself?"  she  breathed,  in  soft 
question. 


=3: 


356 


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Tn£.v;oo)[>io  or  v;istar)A 


Siilleiily,  dizzily.  Mori  raised  himself,  and, 
with  the  tnotion  of  a  drunken  man,  stoo|)ed 
to  his  sword  and  helmet.  Obtaininj^'  them, 
he  turned  on  the  woman  burning  eyes. 

"Touch  me  not,"  he  muttered.  Then  flinp- 
injj  aside  the  door,  and  .seekim;  the  stairway 
as  if  by  instinct,  he  tumbled  rather  than  walk- 
ed down  the  stairs. 

He  heard  the  tramp  of  horsemen  without. 
Brandishinj,'  his  sw»)rd,  he  rushed  into  the 
^,'ardens.  He  was  in  the  midst  of  O^uri's 
horsemen.  The  leader  flunj.,'  him.self  from  his 
horse  and  threw  his  arms  about  his  disabled 
chief. 

Mori  tottered  into  the  arms  of  the  chief  of 
his  staff. 

"Seize  the  Emix.'ror!"  he  half  moaned,  half 
gasi)ed,  in  command;  "  then— retreat— south 
— back — to  our  provinces." 

Anxious  to  retrieve  him.self  in  the  eyes  of 
the  army  whose  destruction  he  laid  at  his 
own  door,  Toro  set  off  for  the  buildinfr  with- 
in the  court,  shouting  to  his  men,  as  O^juri 
receivetl  the  swcxminjr  Mori  into  his  arms. 

"Follow  me!  To  the  Emi)erorI"  shrilly 
cried  Toro. 

If  any  of  the  bakufu  troops  still  remained 
within  the  {tdace  they  did  not  show  theni- 
.selves  while  Ot^uri,  busied  with  Mori,  let 
his  cavalry  stand  idly  by.  The  footfalls  of 
I'oro's  party  resounded  through  the  inner 
quadranjrle. 


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Within  an  inner  thainU-r,  crouchinK  in 
scLiiiinu  fear,  Toro  found  a  fif^'ure  dressed  in 
the  ^'annents  his  knowledge  told  him  were 
Iini>erial.  lie  knew  that  the  central  i^-dace 
was  the  Mikado's  resick-nce.  To  the  crouch- 
ing fiuure  Toro  made  resi)ectful  obeisance. 

"Oh,  Son  of  Heav.n,  yiekl  thyself  to  me. 
I   shall   care    reverently  for   thy  i)erson,"  he 

said. 

The  figure  raised  a  judlid  face,  while  trem- 
blinff  lips  murmured : 

"  Wouldst  thou  lay  i)rofane  hands  uix)n  the 
sacred  jk-Tsoii  of  thy  b>mi)eror''" 

"It  is  he!"  cried  Toro,  delighted.  "Sc-izc 
him,  mv  men,  and  carry  him  off."  lie  nuxli- 
iied  his  command  to  add  :  "  Touch  him  with 
resi>ect,  I  command  you." 

To  0«uri  they  bore  the  still  tremblin^j  man. 
The  lieutenant  ordered  him  placed  in  a  nori- 
mon,  where  his  sacred  iK-r.son  mi^ht  be  shielded 
from  the  .scrutiny  of  his  men. 

"Is  it  indeed  he?"  Oguri  cpiestioned  Toro. 

"  No  doubt  of  it ,"  relumed  Toro.  "  I  le  him- 
self admitted  it." 

Ou;uri  and  Toro  now  consulted  together  as 
to  their  next  course.  Mori  was  still  insen- 
sible, despite  their  efforts  to  arouse  him.  In 
the  reduced  condition  of  their  force,  Oj^uri  did 
not  deem  it  wise  to  remain  lontrer,  lest  retum- 
infi  bakufu  hosts  should  sixnl  all.  He  could 
not  spare  the  men  to  carry  an  additional  nori- 
nion.     He  siH)ke  thoughtfully: 


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"His  lii;:lnic.ss,  our  hclovctl  i'misf  of  Mori, 
is  of  royal  Imciiirc  Jiiul  I)1(mkI  limisilf.  as  iliou 
kiiowc'st,  niv  Lord  of  Cat/.u.  h  will,  ihcrcforc, 
be  nicrt  that  wc  place  hmi  withm  the  same 
noriiiion  with  the  Son  of  Heaven." 

The  IxkIv  of  their  senseless  leader  was  placed 
in  the  norniion,  while  Omiri,  in  order  to  attend 
to  his  wishes  when  he  should  regain  con- 
sciousness, was  forced  also  to  crowd  into  the 
vehicle.  lCi).iht  stronir  samurai  lifltxl  the  car- 
riaue. 

"  Fiack  to  Choshui,"  ordered  Of.rnri,  mind- 
ful of  the  last  order  of  his  chief.  Moreover, 
the  lon^  march  back  to  their  base  of  supplies 
was  the  best,  and  indeed  the  oidy  course  left 
to  them. 

Three  miles  outside  the  city,  Mori,  moaning, 
stru).:uled  in  the  arms  of  ()),niri. 

"All  is  lost!  All  is  lost!"  cried  Mori,  with 
heart-brcakins  I  !tterne.ss. 

"  Nay,  my  prince,  my  dear  lord,"  said  Oj^juri, 
in  a  voice  as  tender  and  soft  as  a  woman's, 
"all  is  not  lost.  We  were  but  a  iK)rtion  of  our 
one  clan  of  Choshui.  Our  southern  allies,  our 
friends,  are  only  waiting  to  rally  to  thy  aid. 
Moreover,  we  have  achieved  a  j^reat  triumph 
over  our  enemies."  lie  lowered  his  voice. 
"  \'our  highness,  we  have  honorably  captured 
the  i)er.son  of  the  Son  of  Heaven.     See!" 

He  lifted  with  one  hand  the  head  of  Mori, 
whi'e  with  the  other  he  parted  the  curtains 
of  the  norimon,  letting  in  the  strong  light  of 


359 


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MICROCOPY    RESOLUTION    TEST    CHART 

ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No    2 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


12.8 


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II  2.2 

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■•':3    LJST    Mo^r     Street 

lesler.    Ne»    lork         U609       USA 
■6;    482  -  03C0  -  Ohone 
■■Si    ;88  -  5989  -  Fa. 


day,  which  shone  uiwn  the  fcice  of  the  fi^  ^re 
rechniiif,^  on  the  oi)f)<)sile  seat  m  the  noninon. 

Painfully  Mori  looked.     His  head  fell  back. 

"Fools!  Fools'."  he  mumbled.  "  You  Imve 
been  tricked  by  the  cunning  Aidzu.  That  is 
not  the  Emperor." 


«=! 


360 


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TOE.VOOir^G  Oi^  ViSTAR)A 


^=r^ 


OR  two  days  the  fleet  carrying 
the  flai^^s  of  four  foreij^n  nations 
had  bombarded  Mori's  intrench- 
ments  on  the  hei^dits  of  Shiiiion- 
oseki.  Towards  the  e\ening  of 
the  second  day,  Alori  cast  up 
tlie  results. 

(iuns  dismounted  by  the 
foreign  fire  lay  in  heaps  of 
debris,  the  dead  and  the  wound- 
ed imi)eded  the  steps  of  the 
living,  and  fully  half  of  the 
guns  were  out  of  action.  Vet 
steadily  and  fiercely  the  foreign 
ves.sL'Is,  sweeping  across  the 
fort's  line  of  fire  in  a  wide  circle, 
otie  by  one  emptied  their  guns 

tfr-  JLi:z:z:zza= 

361 


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TOE  .WOOji>iG  Of?  v/iSTAPJA 


into  the  fortress.  Only  n  third  of  the  jrarrisoii 
now  remained  to  Mori. 

Auain  the  Prince  drew  from  his  breast  Jiro's 
brief  letter,  sent  to  him  by  Oiiuri,  in  charj^^e 
of  the  Choshui  fortress,  whither  it  had  j.xone 
fr(»m  Kioto. 

"My  lord,"  wrote  Jiro,  "your  honorable 
family,  toj.;ether  with  the  two  cadet  families 
of  Na^ate  and  Suwo,  has  been  strii)ped  of 
all  its  titles.  An  order  has  been  issued  for 
every  loyal  clan  to  march  aif^.nst  you  in  your 
southern  stronjL^hi^ld.  T)^ey  are  sending  a  vast 
army  afz;ainst  you.  Be  warned.  It  has  al- 
ready dei)arted  for  your  ])rovincc.  Vet  a  lit- 
tle cheer — a  small  li^ht  aj)})ears  to  me.  The 
Shoy:un's  troops,  my  lord,  are  j^arbed  in  Japan- 
e.se  fiy;htinK  attire.  They  are,  moreover,  far 
from  bein^  a  united  or  happy  IkkIv  of  men. 
There  is  sore  dis.satisfaction  and  unrest  among 
them.  Many  di.slike  the  i)ros])ect  of  the  lonp^ 
journey  to  your  i)rovince,  many  are  secretly 
opj)osed  to  the  chastisement,  many  Kioto  men 
are  entirely  unlit  for  service.  !f  you  will 
permit  your  insignificant  vassal  to  suggest, 
I  would  remark  that  it  will  be  well  for  your 
highness  now  to  avail  yourself  of  your  many 
years  of  labor  in  the  ])errection  of  the  training 
of  your  trooj)s  in  tin-  irts  of  Western  warfare. 
Wheji  the  shogunate  troojjs  finally  reach  the 
south,  ta]<e  advantage  of  their  wealcncss. " 

'^t  was  the  month  following  Mori's  disastrous 
expedition   to  Kioto,  and  the  letter  was  now 


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many  days  old.  As  Mori  hciil  his  head  in 
rcstorintj  the  letter  to  its  i)lace,  a  dull  impact 
shook  the  fortress.  A  shell  from  a  heavy  f»ir- 
ei^n  jfun,  striking  the  Vm^r  cannon  erected  by 
the  youth  Jiro  at  the  previous  bombardment, 
burstin^^  rolled  the  bronze  tube  from  the  c.ir- 
riaf,fe  and  s\vei)t  it  into  a  little  knot  of  pio- 
neers, crushini^  and  killinj,^  the  majority  of 
them  outright. 

A  bitter  smile,  torn  from  the  heart  of  the 
commander,  curled  his  lijjs. 

"Ilavimjj  defied  the  'civilized'  world,  I  little 
fear  the  shoj^unate,"  he  said  ;  "and  yet  I  can- 
not sf)end  more  time  here.  Our  tcun.s  are  dis- 
mantled. That  is  an  omen  for  retreat.  It  was 
Jiro's  ^un,  and  here  i.s  Jiro's  letter." 

Summoninj^  his  oHicers,  the  Prince  t^ave 
the  order  to  evaciuite  the  works.  Horses  were 
attached  to  such  of  the  f^^uns  as  were  worth 
savins^.  Then,  with  these  in  the  rear,  the 
remncint  of  the  Shimonoseki  garri.son  began 
the  march  to  the  Choshui  fortress. 

Ujion  rejoinin}^^  his  chief  in  the  latter 's  private 
ajiartment,  Oj^uri  had  news  to  impart. 

"  It  is  a  strange  army,  truly,"  he  .said,  "  that 
the  Shoffun  has  sent  against  us.  They  are 
encamjK'd  near  the  highway,  a  good  day's 
journey  north  of  us." 

"A  strange  army,  you  i^ixyl"  inquired  Mori, 
mindful  of  Jiro's  lette.. 

"  Ay.  Though  all  the  clans  were  ordered  to 
march  against  us,  but  few  have  done  so,  and 


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they  arc  sick,  silly  fellows,  irrowliiiK  at  having 
to  leave  the  court  aiul  its  pleasures." 

"How  are  they  armed?     With  rifles?" 

"Some." 

"Artillery?" 

"The  i)ieces  taken  from  us  in  Kioto." 

Mori  was  lost  in  relleetion  for  some  moments. 
Then : 

"Let  all  retire  to  rest  at  once." 

It  was  the  middle  of  the  afternoon. 

Mori  added,  without  i)ausiiiir  to  explain  to 
his  puzzled  chief  lieutenant  the  reason  of  his 
stranj^^'  order:  "At  dusk  report  to  me." 

However  larj^a^  an  army  the  Shoj^ain  might 
have  sent  against  the  men  of  Choshui,  the 
fortress  defenders  with  its  attendant  army 
went  to  their  unaccustomed  rest  without  the 
slightest  fear.  The  fortress  might  now  well 
be  considered  impregnable.  In  addition  to 
its  regular  defensive  works,  constructed  im- 
mediately u\)on  the  return  of  Mori  from  his 
melancholy  v.edding-day,  there  were  now  a 
deep  moat  of  great  width  constructed  about 
the  whole  region  of  the  fortress,  gun-facto- 
ries, and  the  works  built  by  the  Prince  of 
Satsuma. 

All  that  afternoon  the  army  of  ]\Iori  slept. 
The  first  hour  of  darlcness  saw  a  departure 
from  the  fortress.  First  rode  six  companies 
of  horsemen,  from  whose  body  .scouts  were 
thrown  out.  Next  marched  two  thousand 
infantry,  all  with  rifles.     They  wore  no  heavy 


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anr.or,  and  as  their  coini>an\'  comniaiulers 
Lcave  their  orders,  their  tactics  were  seen  to 
he  modelled  iijxm  l']uroiM?an  fonns.  Finally, 
in  the  rear  lumhered  sixty  (ield-iMeces.  Oj,'uri 
rode  with  the  cavalry,  directing,'  the  route  of 
the  army.  Close  behind  him  was  Toro,  who, 
since  the  alT.'ir  of  Kioto,  was  on  intimate 
terms  of  good-fellowship  with  the  chief  lieu- 
tenant. 

Mori,  attended  at  a  distance  by  his  staff, 
rode  in  the  centre  of  the  infantry  division. 
The  entire  direction  of  the  current  routine  he 
left  to  his  subordinates,  riding  uKxxlily  ai)art 
from  all.  The  men  marched  with  firm  and 
light  step.  On  their  own  soil  they  were  more 
assured  and  hopeful  of  the  issue. 

"  Oguri,"  asked  Toro,  as  in  ix'rfcct  quiet  they 
advanced  with  their  cavalry  —  "Oguri,  how 
may  I  atone  for  Kioto?" 

"  By  following  my  orders  closely,"  answered 
the  serious  Oguri.  "Vou,  with  the  cavalr>', 
are  U|X)n  no  account  to  charge  before  cannon- 
ading begins." 

"I  swear  by  the  god  of  war  I  will  not," 
promised  Toro. 

"You  must  move  to  the  west  at  least  four 
miles,  throwing  out  your  scouts  regularly." 

"I  will.  Only  give  me  the  chance.  Was 
not  I  responsible  for  the  failure  at  Kioto?"  said 
Toro,  his  face  quivering  in  spite  of  himself. 

"Yes  and  no,"  said  Oguri;  "but,  at  all 
events,  his  highness  has  not  held  it  against 


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you.     He  told  me   that  after- events  justified 
you,  since  the  enemy  had   artillery  at  3'our 

,.     -. 

"  But  he  allowed  me  no  chance  to  exi)lain 
that  I  ordered  the  pioneers  back  when  I  heard 
their  artillery  beintj  brouKht  up.  I  wanted  to 
check  them  at  once." 

"  The  Prince  has  nothing  but  affection  for 
3'ou,"  said  Oguri. 

"Ah!"  cried  Toro,  in  delight. 

The  other  smiled,  half  paternally,  half  re- 
j)rovingly,  at  the  enthusiasm  of  youth. 

"But  you  nuist  restrain  \'our.self  during  the 
first  half  of  your  manctuvre,"  said  the  chief 
lieutenant;  "during  the  latter  j)art  3'ou  maj' 
give  free  rein  to  your  imiK^uositN'." 

As  the  first  sharp  light  of  the  September 
day  began  to  make  visible  objects  along  the 
highway,  Oguri  held  out  his  hand  to  Toro. 

"Now  go,"  he  .said,  "and  remember  all  1 
have  said  to  you.     Now  is  your  op]K)rtunity. " 

Toro  dashed  a  sleeve  to  his  face.  Then, 
turning  to  his  cavalry,  he  raised  his  sword  in 
coimnand. 

"Forward!" 

Sharply  turning,  the  six  companies  wheeled 
due  east,  to  disapjK'ar  in  the  distance.  The 
main  bf)dy  advanced  for  two  hours.  Then 
Oguri  saw  that  Toro  had  reached  the  s{K)t  set- 
tled ujxm  in  their  plan  of  battle. 

Mori,  leaving  the  centre,  came  bri.skly  up 
with  his  staff,  to  assmne  the  ordering  of  the 


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TOE.WOOjj^O  Of  ViSTAPvJA 


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formation.  The  iiifiinliv  were  set  out  in  t\v«) 
close  ranks.  Back  of  thctn,  in  the  centre,  the 
si.xty  field-pieces  were  assembled,  their  horses 
tethered  close  by. 

"Scouts!"  called  Mori  to  Oi,'uri. 

Scouts  and  skirmishers  were  thrown  out. 
All  rested  U|)<)ji  their  arm.s. 

The  place  was  a  broad  and  level  plateau, 
throutjh  whose  middle  the  hiuhway  ran.  Hack 
of  Mori's  artillery  ro.se  a  steady  height  whicli 
the  army  had  crossed.  Facinp  the  force,  rest- 
ing uiK)n  its  arms,  the  plateau  stretched  out 
for  a  mile  until  a  sharp  descent  came  mto  view. 
Up  this  the  army  of  the  biikufu  mist  climb, 
since  the  great  highwaj'  was  also  there. 

It  was  a  tiine  of  idleness  for  Mori's  troops, 
until  towards  noon,  when  th.e  outiwits  rejwrted 
to  the  main  b<xly : 

"The  enemy  is  approaching." 

Mori  issued  a  number  of  orders,  the  effect 
of  which  was  instantly  seen.  The  artillery 
horses  were  attached  to  the  guns,  the  infantry 
clcsed  ranks.     All  stood  at  arms. 

Oguri  approached  the  Prince. 

"  Shall  I  send  the  guns  to  sweep  them  down 
before  they  can  gain  the  plateau?"  he  asked, 
in  excitement,  as  the  natural  advantages  of 
the  place  seized  ui:K)n  him. 

"No,  let  them  reach  the  plain  and  form  in 
their  best  order.  I  wish  to  crush  them  com- 
pletely." 

Even  when  the  first  ranks  of  the  enemy  apv 


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I)faicd,  Mori  rLiiiaincd  inactive  They  forimd 
•juickly  and  advanced.  Still  Mori  remained 
imius.sive. 

When  the  bakufu  troops  had  advanced  h  ilf 
of  the  nule  separating  the  two  armies,  Mori, 
tiirnintf  u|M)n  the  little  eminence,  \vhis|)ere<l 
in  the  ear  of  his  youngest  lieutenant.  Tlie 
younij  man  rotle  off  at  full  si)eed  to  the  ar- 
tillery. 

A  tiioment  more  and  the  lines  of  infantry 
.sj)lit  apart  to  allow  the  passage  of  forty  ^uns. 
At  full  j^alloj)  they  rushed  towards  the  enemy, 
sendinjf  up  ^reat  clouds  of  dust  from  the  dry 
plain  as  they  si>ed  on.  Their  carriages  swayed 
from  side  to  side  without  distur])in.ir  the  pose 
of  the  impassive  men  seated  there.  Tlie  pos- 
tilions lashed  their  liorses. 

Mori  faced  his  stalT.  He  smiled  with  a 
(piiet  smile. 

"Now  we  shall  see,  mv  lords,  how  the  line 
holds." 

The  oflicers  addressed,  thinkinu-  he  refer- 
red to  the  cannonading,  looked  for  an  unex- 
pected lire  from  the  batteries.  None  came. 
Straight  £md  true  towards  the  heart  of  the 
enemy's  lines,  the  artillery,  drawn  by  foam- 
ing horses,  rushed.  The  enemy's  lines  held. 
But  a  hundred  yards  sei)arated  them.  It 
held  at  eighty;  it  wavered;  at  sixty  —  it 
broke. 

As  if  in  answer  to  his  unheard  command,  his 
flying   batteries  whirled   in   invgidar  cur\es, 


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st<)])i)C(l,  uiilimhcR'd,  fired,  then  with  the  si)ee(l 
of  \\\nis,s  were  olT  a^ain,  this  time  in  retreat. 

ALrain  Mori's  itifantry  hues  parted.  Out 
went  the  twenty  reniainiiiLi  Kuns,  strai),'ht  for 
the  eiKiiiy. 

Mori's  hps  poured  out  a  stream  of  orders. 
His  stall  Hew  over  the  tcround.  The  whole 
army  advanced  to  supiM)rt  the  artillery  at- 
tack, while  the  boomerang'  batteries  were  re- 
covered. 

"To  the  left  wint,',"  cried  Mori  to  Otjuri. 

O.uuri  placed  hiiii.self  to  the  left  of  the  centre, 
while  Mori  took  the  ri).,fht.  Still  in  one  com- 
pactly jiined  front,  the  infantry  advanced. 

"  .Now,  now,"  moaned  Oi^uri.  "  Toro — where 
is  Toro?" 

As  the  line  advanced,  the  artillery,  havinfj 
reloaded,  bore  down  again  upon  the  enemy's 
centre,  pounding  it. 

The  infantry  neared  the  bakufu.  Mori 
despatched  an  ollicer  to  silence  the  batteries. 

Xow  was  the  crucial  moment.  Broken  and 
scattered  like  a  herd  of  untrained  cattle  was 
the  bakufu 's  centre. 

A  cheer  sounded  in  the  enemy's  rear.  Just 
at  the  proper  moment  Toro's  cavalry  charged 
the  rear,  dashing  through  the  centre. 

Xow  a  movement  of  division  took  place  in 
the  forces  of  Mori.  Oguri 's  left  divided  on  the 
centie  and  swung  to  the  west,  while  Mori's 
right  swung  eastward.  The  artillery  became 
two  corps,  one  for  each  of  the  divisions;  the 

i^TTT        a: — 


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cavalry,  divided,  also   follcnvtd   llic  direction 
of  the  two  leaders. 

Moris  forces  had  sundered  the  centre  of  the 
bakufu  and  were  rollmLj  up  on  either  .side, 
driviiiLT  in  two  opjMtsite  directions  the  iiiiniensc 
army  of  the  shominate. 

As  i»anic  and  fear  si)read  through  the  jxior- 
spirited  forces  of  tlie  hakufu,  the  cavalry  with- 
drew to  pursue  fugitives.  Mori's  infantry  in 
its  two  divisions  was  now  sullicient  for  the 
isolatinir  and  destroyint,'  of  the  two  sej^niients 
of  the  enemy. 

At  last  it  was  done.  The  forces  of  the  sho- 
Uiinate  were  routed  or  destroyed  at  the  first 
battle. 

With  every  mark  f)f  his  favor,  Mori  received 
Toro  into  his  circle  of  ollicers.  Toro's  face, 
black  and  yriiiiy  from  the  smoke  of  cannon 
and  the  dust  of  action  and  the  roiul,  never- 
theless was  shininif. 

"My  lords,"  said  Mori,  "  wc  are  now  at  the 
crucial  time  in  our  career.  We  must  advance 
instantly  njKm  the  cai)ital.  This  time  no  small 
force  will  be  sullicient.  The  entire  army  nnist 
accom})any  us  to  Kioto.  Oj^uri,  you  take  the 
cavalry.  You  know  the  country  well.  Ride 
forward  to  Kioto  at  full  sjKed.  Then  throw 
out  a  long  skirmish  line  and  ca[)ture  every 
fugitive  from  the  bakufu,  that  the  news  of 
our  advance  may  not  reach  Kioto.  We  shall 
give  the  depleted  army  of  the  shogunate  now 
in   Kioto  a  nol)le  surjirise. " 


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Mori  drew  Tom  to  him. 

"Return  thou,  Toro,  to  the  fortress.  Take 
every  .'ivailal)le  !iiaii,  leave  only  the  rompaiiy 
of  the  governor  of  the  fortress,  and  niarcJi 
sjKvdily  to  join  me  on  the  highway." 


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AYS  went  by.     The  entire  force 
at  the  command  of  A.   d  moved 

^slowly  in  the  direction  of  the 
Emperor's  ca[)ital  of  Kioto.  As 
the  days  stretched  into  weeks 
and    months,    still    the    amiy 

^  moved  without  haste.  Mori  was 
now  in  conmmnication  with 
tlic  other  leaders  of  l.is  party, 
throu^^h  runners.  All  were  con- 
centrating upon  the  capital. 

Echizcn,  moreover,  had  sent 
word  to  Mori  by  sjK'cial  courier. 
The  boy  Shoj^un  was  dead,  and 
the  young  Prince  of  Mito,  who 
had  headed  the  army  of  chas- 
tisement against  the  Imperialists 


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in  Kiot(i,  had  been  appointed  Shopun.  But 
Echizen's  tidin)[js  of  death  did  not  stop  here. 
The  ICiuperor  Koniinei  Tenno  had  succumbed 
to  disease  and  oppression,  and  ufxm  his  death, 
his  son,  yount^  Alutsuhito,  a  youth  of  sixteen, 
had  succeeiled  to  the  throne. 

When  Mori  learned  of  this  latter  event  he 
despatched  long  epistles  to  each  of  the  leaders, 
lie  urged  that  all  should  concentrate  their 
forces  in  small  jjarties,  whose  approach  should 
be  gradual  upon  the  Imperial  palace.  Once 
having  ixjssession  of  the  ImiK-rial  city  and 
the  palace,  the  Aidzu-Catzu  suj)f)orters  would 
be  instantly  ex|)elled,  and  Mutsuhito,  the  new 
Mikado,  should  be  i)roclaimed  sole  ruler  of 
Japan. 

To  this  all  assented.  The  3d  of  January 
was  settled  upon  as  the  day. 

Dividing  his  force  into  small  parties,  who 
were  assigned  a  rendezvous  in  Kioto,  Mori 
continued  liis  advance.  Then  came  the  news 
to  him  from  Echizen  that  the  Prince  of  ^hto 
(now  the  Shogun)  had  been  persuaded  to  re- 
sign his  oflice.  Now  there  seemed  small  ol> 
stacle  in  the  way  of  the  Imperialist  plan. 

On  the  diiy  appointed,  the  various  relays 
of  Mori's  force  which  had  preceded  him  to 
Kioto  met  tmd  joined  his  j)ersonal  following. 
At  the  hour  of  noon  they  marched  in  ix;rfect 
order  to  the  western  gate.  Each  of  the  nine 
gates  was  tiiken  without  force  by  a  large  body 
in  conunand  of  one  of  the  Imi)erialists. 


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Two  hours  later  Alori,  ICehizui,  Omiri,  and 
the  other  leaders  were  in  full  jxjssession  of  the 
Mikado's  person  and  I)olic3^  The  sho^qinate 
was  declared  abolished.  An  edict  was  issued 
declarinij:  the  Mikado  the  sole  ruler,  and  a  gov- 
ernment was  created.  Aidzu  and  Catzu  had 
been  expelled  from  the  palace. 

It  was  reix)rte(l  to  Mori  that  the  ex-Shotrun, 
Mito,  had  left  Kioto  in  uu^vr,  and  that,  re- 
Krettinj,^  his  resii.,qiation,  he  was  gathering 
troops  about  him  to  dispute  the  coup  d'etat. 

Weardy  Mori  assumed  command  (jf  some 
two  thou.sand  troops,  went  to  Fushimi,  wliere 
he  met  the  Prince  of  Mito,  with  an  army  much 
larger  than  his  own.  After  three  days'  fight- 
ing the  ex-Shogun  was  driven  back  to  Ozaka, 
whence  he  departed  for  Yed(j  on  an  American 
vessel.     Mori  followed  more  slowly. 

He  was  now  embarked  upon  the  most  des- 
perate stage  of  his  undertaking.  Mito  pos- 
ses.sed  in  his  capital,  Vedo,  forces,  shii)s,  and 
resources  in  great  excess  of  any  belonging 
to  the  new  government.  Xevertheless  Mori 
marched  upon  Vedo  steadily.  At  the  gates  of 
the  city  the  senior  Lord  of  Catzu  met  Mori. 

"I low  now,  my  lord?"  demanded  the  Mi- 
kado's defender.  "Are  you  come  again  to 
bid  me  lay  down  my  arms?" 

"Xo,"  said  Catzu,  almost  hum])ly,  "I  am 
come  to  olTer  you  the  submission  of  the  Prince 
of  Mito." 

"Ah!"     Mori  veiled  his  satisfaction. 


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"Under  my  counsel,"  continued  Catzii, 
"his  hitrhness  the  Prince  of  Milo  has  seen  his 
error.  Never  ntiain  will  he  take  up  arms 
atjainst  his  sovereiLrn  lord  the  Mikado.  I  but 
beseech  you  now  to  spjire  the  city  of  Vedo. " 

"My  business  here  is  dc:ie,"  was  Mori's 
rei)ly. 

"Stay,  my  lord."  Catzu  entwined  his  fin- 
pcrs  in  an  cflort  to  conceal  a  strange  ner- 
vousness. 

"1  await  your  words,  my  lord." 

"Thy  wife — "  began  Catzu. 

The  brain  v)f  the  leader  became  clouded  and 
dark  with  i)assion. 

"  Another  word,  my  lord,"  he  replied,  haugh- 
tily, "and  thou  and  Vedo  shall  both  be  put 
to  the  sword.  Having  found  my  armor  in- 
vulnerable to  the  darts  of  your  sjx-ars  and 
arrows,  you  think  to  advantjige  yourself  by 
an  ancient  weakness  of  mine.  Be  assured 
that  I  am  as  invincible  in  that  regard,  my  lord, 
as  in  the  matter  of  warfare." 

At  the  end  of  twelve  days  Mori  was  again 
in  Kioto.  The  surrender  of  the  late  Shogun 
had  not  carried  with  it  the  submission  of  Aid- 
zu,  who  had  fled  to  his  province.  The  Prince 
despatched  Ognri  into  the  highlands  of  Aidzu 
to  complete  the  imification  of  the  coimtry. 
Eventually  Oguri  fulfilled  his  mission,  bring- 
ing complete  victory  to  the  Imi)erial  cause. 

In  the  Kioto  court  the  new  party  wrought 
S]x?edy   change.     The   daiinios,  or   territorial 


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lords,  were  summoned,  and  resiuned  into  the 
hands  of  tlie  Ahkado  their  feudal  i)osses- 
si(jns. 

At  one  of  the  last  councils  attended  by  Mori, 
the  Shining  Prince  made  an  address  of  deep 
import. 

"Your  Majesty,"  he  said,  "may  not  be  in- 
sensible to  the  changes  forced  and  hastened 
in  your  country  by  the  advent  of  the  foreigner. 
I  have  been  fighting  feudalism,  the  bakufu, 
and  the  shogunate  with  the  civilization  and 
weapons  of  the  foreigners.  Through  them 
we  have  conquered  and  prevailed.  Since  wc 
owe  our  supremacy  to  their  rifle  and  cannon, 
a  conviction  has  forced  itself  upon  me.  Your 
Majesty  no  longer  lives  behind  a  .screen,  seen 
by  a  few  eyes  only.  Your  Majesty  is  a  world 
power,  and  must  have  relations  with  other 
nations.  We  must  assimilate  foreign  civiliza- 
tion, if  only  to  combat  the  foreigner." 

Thus  Mori  came  to  the  spirit  of  New  Japan, 
speaking  almost  the  identical  words  uttered' 
by  lyesada  long  ago. 

Having  accomplished  his  share  of  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  new  government,  Mori  felt 
that  he  could  now  turn  his  attention  to  the 
welfare  of  his  faithful  fcjllowers. 

He  set  a  day  for  a  final  interview  with  them, 
when  he  should  bestow  such  rewards  as  were 
now  in  his  power,  as  chief  adviser  to  his  sov- 
ereign, to  give. 

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had  been  offered,  but  he  had  come  to  no  de- 
cision. He  fell  that  hi.s  work  was  done.  He 
desired  only  peace.  He  was  not  ready  to 
think  further. 

Kealizin^  that  the  lost  Jiro,  if  alive,  must 
be  in  some  i)ortion  of  the  palace,  Mori  caused 
liim  to  be  soufiht  for. 

On  the  evenintj  jirior  to  his  final  meeting 
i  with  his  officers,  Jiro  came  to  him  as  he  sat 
alone  in  his  chamber.  The  si^ht  of  the  lad 
affected  the  Choshui  Prince  jxiculiarly.  He 
realized  in  a  moment  of  self-revelation  that  the 
feelinjr  of  loneliness  and  isolation  amoti^  his 
officers  had  first  manifested  itself  just  after 
the  departure  of  Jiro.  While  his  relations 
with  the  youth  had  not  been  of  an  intimate 
nature,  still  Mori  felt  that  he  had  ever  sought 
and  found  tacitly  a  silent,  uns|X)ken  under- 
standincc  and  support  of  his  purposes  from 
him.  He  felt  drawn  towards  the  boy  as  one 
preat  soul  seeks  the  })enetratintr  sympathy 
of  another.  A  longing,  throbbin^f  into  wist- 
fulness,  |)ervaded  him.  Wearily,  yet  patient- 
ly, he  regarded  the  j'outh. 

"Jiro,  ni}-  boy,  why  have  j'ou  left  me  so 
long?"  he  said. 

The  bo\'  flushed  slightly  as  an  eager  delight 
betrayed  for  a  moment  his  pleasure  in  Mori's 
words. 

"Have  3'ou,  then,  missed  me?"  he  began, 
in  a  warm  voice,  to  break  ofT  abruptly  as  a 
forced  coldness  took  jx)Ssession  of  him.     "  I 


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have  been  much  cnfraircd,  my  lord,"  he  said, 
without  enthusiasm. 

"Ah!"  said  Mori,  quietly,  noting,'  his  flush- 
intr  face;  "and  I  am  ready  to  \va)^aT  it  was 
with  a  uuuden. " 

"It  was,  nu'  lord." 
^^  "Ah!  — thou,  too,  Jiro,"  said  Mori,  sadly. 
"  A  youth,  thou  hast  come  to  the  jjates  of  love, 
to  enter  paradise — or  hell." 

"  It  was  not  an  affair  of  love,  my  lord  " 

"No?" 

"I  have  been  cndeavorinir  to  rif^ht  the 
wromrs  of  a  woman— a  very  near  kinswoin- 
an.  Hut  I  find  thiit  I  am  without  [Ktwer  to 
proceed  further." 

'.\Xv,  tell  me,  Jiro,  thy  troubles,  and  those 
of  thy  kinswoman.  I  am  not  without  ijower 
now,  and  may  assist  thee." 

Mori  smiled  pitifully  at  thoupht  of  hisjwwer 
and  the  })oor  satisfaction  it  held,  now  that  its 
preat  consummation  had  been  crowned. 

A  slight  ner^•ou3ness  fell  uixin  Jiro.  While 
his  hands  tremblingly  fingered  his  obi,  there 
came  into  his  eyes  and  his  voice  a  suggestion 
of  something  ulterior,  something  beyond. 

"My  lord,  my  kinswoman  loved  a  man  and 
he  loved  her,"  he  said,  pausing. 

"Sad,"  murmured  Mori,  with  the  cynicism 
of  his  broken  mood. 

Without  noticing  the  Prince's  comment,  Jiro 
continued ; 

"  My  lord,  has  not  a  parent  tlie  right  to  ex- 


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act  obedience  from  his  child,  even  thoui,di  that 
obedience  lead  her  to  utmost  misery?" 

"Such  is  the  Jaj)anese  idea,"  returned  Mori. 

"Then,  my  lord,  the  parent  of  my  kins- 
woman exacted  a  task  from  her.  He  forced 
her  to  betray  her  lover,  thouj^h  she,  iirnorant 
that  he  was  the  ix;rson  imjdicated,  yet  soutcht 
to  warn  him  of  the  danger  to  himself  and  the 
unknown." 

Mori 's  eyebrows  contracted  diirkly.  I  le  half 
rose  from  his  seat.  Then  with  a  forced  calm 
he  dropix'd  back  into  his  jilace. 

Jiro's  face  was  now  flushetl  a  deep  scarlet. 
He  seemed  to  be  usinj^  all  his  strenj^th  in  an 
effort  to  control  his  emotions. 

"My  lord,"  he  addcxl,  "my  kinswoman  was 
not  only  forced  to  betray  her  lover  by  her  fa- 
ther, but  she  was  driven  further  —  into  mar- 
rying, and,  consequently,  deji^riulinf;  him,  be- 
cause only  in  that  way  could  she  save  his  life 
from  the  hands  of  the  public  executioner." 

Mori  was  white  to  the  lips  with  his  anther. 
But  he  controlled  himself  strongly.  Jiro  had 
claims  uix)n  his  gratitude. 

"  You  have  failed  to  tell  me,"  he  said,  coldly, 
"  in  what  way  I  can  serve  j'ou — and  your  kins- 
woman." 

"My  lord,  the  lover  put  away  my  kins- 
woman, being  in  ignorance  of  the  treachery 
of  her  parent.  Yet  so  grievously  is  he  wound- 
ed that  he  could  not  be  approached  by  one  so 
slight  as  I.     He  would  not  listen  to  truth. " 

I       zra: 


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Iiiil)cnetral)ility  masked   the  face  of  Mori. 
^    His  ihouj^^hts  were  veiled  behind  a  set  coun- 
tenance. 

Half  ahashed,  and  fully  shalcen  in  his  late 
confidence,  Jiro  spoke  trembling  words. 

"  Do  you,  uiy  k)rd,  si)eak  to  this  lover — tell 
hiui  that  it  was  the  fault  of  their  fathers,  and 
that  his  lady,  indeed,  loves  him  and  has  al- 
wa\s  loved  him." 

Still  silent  and  uuHionless  remained  Mori. 

Jiro  faltered.  "  f  have  .served  thee,"  he  said, 
as  he  Went  a  step  closer  to  Mori ;  "  do  thou  this 
now  for  me." 

Mori  siK)ke. 

"To-morrow,"  lie  .said,  "I  take  farewell  of 
my  ofiicers.  My  worldly  ta.sks  are  then  fin- 
ished. Then  I  will  endeavor  to  serve  you,  Jiro 
— to-morrow. " 

"  Hut,  my  lord,  thou  sjx'^dvest  of  thy  worldly 
tasks.     Wilt  thou,  then—?" 

"  Xay,  Jiro,  I  will  not  take  my  life,  I  promise 
thee,  before  I  have  .seen  thee.     To-m(nrow." 

"  To-morrow,"  repeated  Jiro,  and  was  gone. 

Near  the  iris  field  in  the  Emjjeror's  garden 
there  is  a  slight  hill,  set  \\\)on  whose  sides 
are  a  number  of  fanciful  shelters.  Under  one 
of  these,  ui)on  a  bench  that  night  long  .sat 
Prince  Mori  KeiUi.  Above  him  the  bare  trees 
sui)})ortiiig  the  structure  twined  their  naked 
boughs  together  into  what  in  the  leaftime  was 
a  natural  roof.  This  night,  bare  of  leaf,  they 
were  as  ojjcn   to  the  cold  as  the  structure's 


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.side,  yet  Mori  seeinal  unaware  of  the  season. 
There  was  no  chill  u\Hm  his  limbs.  A  strange 
smile  flitted  across  the  features  of  the  solitary 
Prince. 

With  a  shrujj:  of  the  shoulders  he  glanced  at 
the  shght  structure  under  which  he  .sat. 

"It  is  a  summer-hou.se,  "  he  muttered,  "and 
it  is  now  winter,  rillini,^ — litlin^^." 
s?|  Farther  up  the  hill  above  him,  within  the 
shadow  of  another  similar  structure,  a  slight 
form  crouched,  while  buniiu).!  eyes  were  fast- 
ened upon  Mori.  With  chilled  and  shiverin>.j 
beinj^,  the  jouth  watched. 

"He  must  not  depart  this  life,"  said  the 
little  watcher  on  the  hill;  "he  must  live — 
and  belie'e.  Oh!  all  the  gods,  lend  me  the 
strength  and  ix)wer  to  convince  himl" 


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LONE  ill  liis  deserted  apart- 
ments the  Mori  sat — prince  no 
longer,  for  with  other  nobles 
and  dainiios  he  had  resigned 
his  fief  into  the  Ahkado's  hands. 
The  ofiicers  had  lontr  atjo  de- 
^  jxirted,  to  enter  uiK)n  the  new- 
courses  the  i)artinir  benefits  of 
their  leader  had  determined  for 
tlieiii.  Some  were  already  upon 
their  way  to  the  provinces,  the 
offices  of  Mori  had  j)rocured  for 
thein,  as  governors  ai)ix)inted 
by  the  Mikado. 

Toro  had  gone  to  Catzu,  to 
govern  for  the  Mikado  the  ter- 
ritorv  his   father  had   adniinis- 


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Icrcd  for  the  Shojfun.  Tiithcr  and  .st)n  had 
bctii  reunited.  The  Lady  Evening,'  (Jlory  had 
l<m»,'  been  dead,  and  Cat/u  was  williout  a  nsis- 
tress. 

Vet  M*)ri  liad  detailed  for  Toro  what  he  coW' 
sidered  a  greater  reward. 

"Toro,"  said  Mori,  "you  will  deliver  this 
order,  .signed  by  nie,  in  i»erson  to  the  Lady 
Hollyhock,  directing  her  to  cease  forthwith 
her  mutinous  rebellion,  and  to  render  her.self 
iis  a  conquered  i)rovince  into  thy  hands." 

"  IJut,  your  highness,"  said  Toro,  "1  do  not 
desire  an  unwilling  bride,  who  yields  her.self 
but  to  sui)crior  command." 

Mori '.'3  smile  had  within  it  the  tinge  of  a  sa- 
tirical wisdom. 

"Toro,  my  comrade  and  friend,"  he  .said, 
gravely,  "1  do  assure  you  that  will  not 

need  that  order.  The  heart  of  o  lady  is 
yours.  Only  her  coquetry  holds  out,  and 
finding  in  my  writ  a  convenient  pretext,  she 
will  gladly  go  the  way  the  heart  has  long 
directed." 

With  exuberant  joy  Toro  had  started  from 
the  apartment. 

"  Yet,  once  again.  Toro,"  said  Mori.  "  While 
I  aid  you  with  the  Lady  Hollyhock,  I  warn 
you  that  you  will  never  find  \'our  comi)lete 
hapjnness  in  a  wonian.  After  the  first  daj's 
you  nmst  look  to  the  faithful  administration 
of  your  province  for  your  chief  satisfaction  in 
living." 


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"I  do  not  aurci'  with  you,  \our  hiuliiicss," 
Toro  replied.  Then  he  added,  with  ii  cheery 
hmuli ; 

"  I  Jul  there  will  he  some  satisfaction,  truly, 
in  adiiiinisteriim  my  province,  and  mine  an- 
cient, rebellious  sire." 

Ikfore  the  odicers  de'parted,  Toro,  as  their 
spokesman,  had  i)re.sented  to  their  old  com- 
mander two  swords,  richly  wrought,  the  usual 
toUen  of  the  samurai  as  their  partinj.,'  tribute. 

"I  do  assure  you,"  Mori  had  res|Kmded, 
"  that  in  kMvintt  me  Miese  swords  you  have  not 
merely  uiven  me  a  reminder,  as  your  siK)kes- 
man  has  said,  of  our  services  for  the  New 
Japan,  but  you  have  j^iven  me  as  well  the 
conquest  of  a  newer,  higher,  more  happy 
universe.  As  a  citizen  of  a  greater  universe, 
I  thank  you." 

In  these  words,  and  in  every  act  of  the  former 
Prince  that  day,  the  oflicers,  save  the  delight- 
blinded  Toro,  had  ob.served  a  touch  of  finality, 
the  savoring  grace  of  a  farewell  to  earthly 
things,  that,  sanmrai  as  the\'  were,  had  not 
failed  to  move  them.  Plainly  their  lord  con- 
templated something  that  their  order  called 
honorable;  yet  they  shuddered  at  the  th»)ught. 

Xt)W  iliey  were  all  gone  (mt  of  Mori's  life, 
into  the  new  life  he  and  they  had  created  to- 
gether. The  Shining  Prince  was  left  alone — 
iilone  with  two  swords  that  lay  uix)n  a  low 
table  at  his  side. 

The  moment  long  waited  by  Mori  had  come. 


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T/1£  >M/oOilN0  Or  v/iSTARiA 

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The  Mikado  had  been  restored  to  his  ancient 
sovereignly  jtence  was  «mcc  more  u|X)n  UK- 
land.  The  ^vvni  |iur|K»se  of  his  efforts  u.is 
attanicd  ;  every  thread  connectiim  Mori  with 
this  new  order  of  tliin>,'s  had  jjone  from  his 
opponents — from  his  hfe — save  two  swords 
alone,  which  he  had  said  were  means  for  an- 
other conqiiest. 

Yet  in  spite  of  the  atmosphere  of  finality  that 
he  felt  jR-Mvading  his  apartments.  Mori  was  not 
thinking  <»f  the  termination  he  had  set  to  his 
activities.  His  thoughts  carried  him  beyond 
the  l)lack  iK-riod  he  had  said  should  close  his 
sentence.  Over  into  regions  of  life  across 
finality  his  imagination  strayed.  The  Kady 
Wistaria  came  back  to  his  memory, his  mind, 
his  heart — occupied  his  whole  being  with  the 
force  of  the  magic  sjjell  she  had  woven  about 
him. 

When  Jiro  had  made  his  plea  the  day  pre- 
vious Mori  had  instantly  recognized  its  mean- 
ing. It  came  with  no  joy  to  him  His  course 
of  thought  and  heart  had  been  too  long  l)ent 
in  one  direction  for  the  timid,  blind  words  of  a 
youth  to  swing  it  abruptly. 

"  It  is  one  more  device,  jjerchance,  of  my 
enemies,"  he  had  said,  dully,  in  the  first  bit- 
terness that  came  when  the  lad's  words  had 
touched  his  heart. 

Now,  when  all  was  over,  he  was  again,  in 
spite  of  his  will,  weighing  the  |X)ssibilities. 
Of  course  there  might  be  truth  in  what  Jiro 


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had  said,  but  it  could  not  be  determined  save  in 
the  eyes  of  the  Lady  Wistaria  herself,  and  now 
the  lad  Jiro  had  not  come,  as  he  had  promised. 

With  a  jjiofuund  si^h,  Mori,  laisintf  his  head, 
t  aut^ht  si^ht  ayain  of  the  two  s\vi>rds.  Yes, 
they  held  their  uieaninK  f<>r  him.  Jinj's  \Vi)rds 
were  not  worthy  of  belief,  lie  stretched  out 
his  hands  to  the  swords. 

"  She  was  false — and  Jiro  lied !"  he  muttered. 

His  hand  soutfht  and  found  tlie  hilt  of  one 
of  (he  swords  and  tcrasi)ed  it  (irmly,  stilfiiieil, 
and  fell  to  his  side.  Suddenly  the  face  of  the 
Lady  Wistaria  with  its  all  -  i)ervadin^  purity 
.and  truth-comj)ellini.{  quality  arose  before  his 
vision.  As  he  regarded  the  unsought  vision 
which  had  come  to  his  uncontrolled  imagina- 
tion, it  dawned  U])on  him  with  a  sudden,  great 
light  that  he  had  been  wrong — wr«>ng.  [3acU 
(o  his  con.sciousness  (loated  (hat  dark  night 
l)y  (he  side  of  the  stagnant  moat,  the  memory 
of  the  tortured  white  face  that  shone  out  from 
(he  interlacing  boughs  of  bushes  about  them, 
(he  tren)bHng  hands  and  the  little  wnter-soak- 
ed  feet.  Were  .she  u(terly  false  as  he  had 
tht>ught,  would  she  have  tlujs  come  to  him  to 
warn  him  of  the  danger  that  encomj)assed  the 
one  she  did  not  know  was  he  himself? 

A  great  upheaval  arose  in  Keiki.  The  rush 
of  emotions  ingulfed  him.  A  cry,  a  groan, 
escajjed  him,  as,  burying  his  face  in  his  arms, 
he  threw  from  him  the  swords. 

"She  was  truth  itself,"  he  said.     "It  is  I 


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who  have  wronjjed  her— I  who  have  beeti  un- 
worthy." 

"To(»  hite!"  a  voice  within  his  world-dulled 
soul  said.  He  recalled  now  the  intelligence  he 
had  heard  somewhere  many  months  before. 
The  Princess  of  Mori  had  become  a  priestess 
of  the  Temple  Zuiganji. 

"My  lord!" 

The   voice   behind    him,    vajjuely   familiar 
passed  into  that  nf  the  boy  Jiro. 

"My  lord,"  rejKated  the  soft  voice,  "it  is  I, 
Jiro,  returned   to  thee." 

Mori  answered : 

"  Alas,  you  come  too  late,  my  Jiro.  Thou 
canst  tell  me  nothini^^  now,  fur  I  know  that  she 
was  guiltless.  I  was  at  fault.  The  gods  alone 
can  fijrgive  me." 

Again  he  bent  over  the  swords.  The  figure 
behind  him  moved  from  its  position.  It  stood 
before  the  bending  Prince  now.  A  white  robe 
reached  to  the  floor,  brushing  his  hand  and 
covering  the  swords  at  his  feet.  Imix.'lled  by 
a  force  he  could  not  re^^ist,  Mori  raised  his  head. 
Wistaria — Wistaria  in  her  bridal  robes,  with 
white  flowers  in  her  glorious  hair,  stfxxl  before 
him. 

Mori  started  to  his  feet. 

"Jiro — Jiro — " 

lie  looked  about  the  room,  as  though  he 
still  thought  the  boy  within  the  apartment. 
Was  he  dreaming,  or  had  he  actually  heard 
the  voice  oi  the  l)oy  Jiro.  saying: 

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T/1£  .WOOir^G  Of  ViSTAR^A 


"It  is  I,  Jiro,  ri;urnecl  to  thee." 

But  where  was  Jiro,  and  who  was  this  white 
being  who  had  taken  his  place?  Not  the 
Lady  Wistaria,  she  who  had  become  a  priest- 
ess because  of  her  wrongs.  Then  her  hps 
framed  them.selves  in  words  that  reached  his 
con.sciousness. 

"  If  it  please  thee,  my  lord,  I  am  Jiro." 

"Lady  Wistaria!  '  he  gasped. 

"1  am  Wi.staria,"  she  said. 

Slowlv,  with  the  movement  of  one  dazed, 
M;iri  miived  towards  her.  Her  exquisite  hands 
she  held  out  to  him.  He  seized  them  with 
his  own.  For  a  moment  he  held  them  in  a 
close,  sjiasmodic  clasp,  then  suddenly  he  sank 
to  the  floor,  burying  his  face  ni  the  folds  of  her 

kimono. 

But  the  Lady  Wistaria  was  upon  her  knees 
beside  him,  her  hands  upon  his  head. 


THE  END 


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